Lord Mahavira and His Teachings

Author(s): Vallabhsuri Smarak Nidhi
Publisher: Vallabhsuri Smarak Nidhi

Page 53

Lord Mahavira and His Teachings
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man it is to be taken as to be followed by others also in the time to come.
We know from other sources that Parshva and his followers were using clothes and were not naked. So it is possible that though Mahavira of his own accord wanted to be a naked monk, he had to keep a cloth at the time of his pravrajya to follow the tradition of the Parshva's sangha. This seems to be the reason why the word 3taaffay is used for his conduct of keeping a cloth at the time of his pravrajya. Later when he became a powerful monk it was quite possible for him to leave that traditional cloth and innovate entire nakedness in his sangha.
Mahavira's anudharmita is not restricted to the traditional conduct only but is extended to the traditional preaching also. This is testified by the following reference :- .
"अविहिंसामेव पन्बए अणुधम्मो मुणिणा पवेइओ"
Pro 3. . . 88
"This is the traditional Law preached by the Muni that one should follow Non-violence."
Here the commentator explains the word 347914 as : मोक्ष प्रत्यनुकुलो धर्मोऽनुधर्म : But it should mean traditional law when we certainly know that the nonviolence is the traditional law for the Jainas.
There are certain things and places which are prohibited for the Jaina monks because of their possessing life. And life is so subtle a thing that each