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Teachings of Mahāvira
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two Tirthařkaras. And this perfectly agrees with the common tradition that Mahāvīra came 250 years after Pārsva."1
It is on the basis of the number of vows observed that the sect of Pārsva was known as Cāturyāma” and that of Mahāvīra as Panchayāma. These vows were strictly observed by monks who took them on entering the order. In their case, the vows were called the five great vows (Mahāvrata). Lay people, however, observed these vows as far as their worldly situation permitted. The five vows of the lay people were, of course, aņuvrata or small vows.
A correct representation of the 'fourfold self-restraint', even in the sense of which the followers of Pārsva understood it, is not wanting in Buddhist literature. Just then a separate vow of chastity was added to the 'fourfold self-restraint' to complete the list of five great vows (pañcamahāvratas) promul. gated by Mahāvīra. These have been enumcrated as abstinence from the idea of killing, the idea of theft, the idca of unchastity, the idea of lying, and some such tapoguna or virtue of an ascetic.3 It is interesting indeed to note that even some of the Jaina phrases have been reproduced in the Buddhist text.
As celibacy and nudity are closely related from the point of view of controlling the senses and the non-attachment to bodily pleasures and external necds, Malāvira also introduced the practice of nudity among the monks. His predecessor, Pārsva, is said to have allowed an under and an upper garmcnt to his followers.
DOCTRINE OF THE NINE CATEGORIES OR TRUTHS (NAVA TATTVA)
It was in opposing to Gośāla's deterministic thcory based on his biological researches that Mahāvira is said to have gradually formulated his thicory of the ninc categories as well as his thcory of harma. His doctrine of the nine carcgories was mcant to explain how the bondage of the soul arises by way
1. SBE, XLV, p. 129, f.n. 3. 2. Sutra, 11, 7. 39; Ullara. X.XIII, 12. 3. Vajih, II, 35-36: Sa, 1. 06. 4. Ulfara, XXIII. 13.
