Lord Mahavira Vol 02

Author(s): S C Rampuria
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati Institute

Page 92

83
LORD MAHẬVÎRA AS REFLECTED IN BUDDHIST SOURCES
-Bhag Chandra "Bhaskar
Tirthankara Mahâvîra was the great spiritual leader of India in sixth-fifth century B.C. He followed the ancient Sramana tradition from which he had been alienated by the pressures of secular society. Mahâvîra found his way through psycho-socio analytical involument in the movements for peace and justice, and created an atmosphere of trust and understanding through inter- religious dialogue, the unparallel vehicle and the model for developing the distinctive spiritual journey of the time for entire human community and souls. Age of spiritual leaders
The people were confused by different prevailing philosophical views. The spiritual sphere was violated by the sacrifices, rites and rituals. The humanity was divided by the cas!c system and the so called lower class people were deceived by a certain section on the name of religion. Kesi said with anxiety the Gautam “The masses are weltering in the encircling gloom, who shall then light ? Gautam replied-”. The one who initially was the prince of the kingdom of Videha and who is today the great exponent of freedom from body consciousness, the verily enlightened the propounder of the principle of perennial creation, and the truly venerable Mahâvîra has already risen as a Sun who will lead the massess from darkness to light.
Tirthankara Mahâvîra, the Nigantha Nataputta of pali literature, was a great realist philosopher who had not, as a matter of fact, innovated a new philosophy but advocated the old one followed by the predecessors with new additions and interpretations without involving himself in any kind of