Lord Mahavira and His Times

Author(s): Kailashchandra Jain
Publisher: Motilal Banarasidas

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Jainism before Lord Mahavira tradition of four Tirthaukaras or Jinas was cherished by the Jaina community. The four Jinas, whose life history is presented in the Kalapasīītra, are Rishabhadatta, Arishţanemi, Pārsva and Mahāvīra. The conception of the former Buddhas was current even in Buddhism as early as the third century B.C. because some of them were worshipped in their own slūpas. Both in Jainism and Buddhism, the number gradually increased from four to seven, and from seven to twentyfour Tīrthankaras. The tradition of twenty-four Tirthankaras became well established among the Jainas in about the first or second century A.D.' It might have risen earlier in Jainism, as the Nirgranthas were never spoken of, in Buddhist writings, as a newly risen sect nor was Nātaputta referred to as their founder. Accordingly, the Nirgranthas were, probably, an old sect at the time of Buddha, and Nātaputta only a reformer of the Jaina Church which might have been founded earlier by Pārsvanātha.
RISHABHA AS FOUNDER OF JAINISM
According to the Jaina tradition, Rishabha, who belonged to the Ikshvāku family of Ayodhyā, was the founder of Jainism. His parents were Nābhirāja and Marudevi. The son's name was Bliarata after whom India is said to be named. He was the first Jina and the first Tirthankara who was born in an age when people, primitive and illiterate, did not know any art. He is said to have taught the arts of cooking, writing, pottery, painting and sculpture for the first time. It was during his time that the institution of marriage, the ceremony of cremating the dead, building of the mounds and the festivals in honour of Indra and the Nāgas came into existence. We may, thus, look upon him as a great pioneer in the history of human progress.
Even in the Bhagavali Sitra of the Jainas, the Ājivika saint Gosla is said to have claimed for himself the status of the twentyfourth and fast Tirthankara of current dvasarbini age The terminology of the plirasc is distinctly Jaina. This is not true because bcforc Goala, only two previous Ājivika leaders, namely, Nandavachchha and Kisa Sankichicha, are known.