Lord Mahavira and His Times

Author(s): Kailashchandra Jain
Publisher: Motilal Banarasidas

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Lord Mahavira and His Times
classes of living beings served as the basis of Mahavira's doctrine of six lesyās.1 According to H. JACOBI, the Order of Pārśva seems to have undergone some changes in the period between the death of Parsva and the advent of Mahavira.
Pārsva enjoined on his followers four great vows: (1) Abstinence from killing living beings; (2) Avoidance of falsehood; (3) Avoidance of theft, and (4) Freedom from possessions. H. JACOBI2 has clearly perceived that a doctrine attributed to Mahavira in the Buddhist Samaññaphala Sutta properly belonged to his predecessor, Pārśva, insofar as the expression Chatuyama Samvara is concerned. The doctrine is that, according to Mahāvīra, the way to self-possession selfcommand, and imperturbability consists of 'a four-fold selfrestraint', such as restraint in regard to all water, restraint in regard to all evil, and restraints imposed for the purification of sin and feeling a sense of ease on that account."
The Jaina writers tell us that Nagnajit, king of Gandhāra, Nimi, king of Videha, Durmukha, king of Pañchāla, Bhima, king of Vidarbha, and Karakaṇḍu, king of Kalinga adopted the faith of the Jainas. As Pārsva (877-777 B.C.) was probably the first historical Jina, these rulers, if they really became converts to his doctrines, have to be placed between 842 B.C. and 600 B.C. They are known to have ruled over their respective kingdoms before the sixth century B.C.
Parsva had a large number of followers round about Magadha even in the days of Mahāvīra. Mahavira's parents, who belonged to the Jñätri-Kshatriyas, were worshippers of Pārsva. Following the teachings of Parsva, they peacefully died practising the slow starvation of their senses. The Uttarädhyayana Sutra relates a meeting between Keśī and Gautama
1. The classification of living beings in terms of six colours may be traced in Parsva's doctrine of six Jivanikāyas (Āchā, II, 15, 16).
2. SBE, XLV, pp. xix-xxii.
3. Dia, II, pp. 74-75.
4. SBE, XLV. p. 87. 5. Acha, II, 15.16.
6. Uttara, 23, pp. 119-129.