________________
10
MAHĀVĪRA HIS LIFE AND TEACHINGS
thas is mentioned. The Nirgranthas were once seen engaged in remaining in an upright posture without sitting down (ubbhatthakā āsanapatikkhitta) 1
The ancient Buddhist texts offer a typical description of the punctilious ways of all Indian ascetics of the time which, as convincingly shown by Mr Kamta Prasad Jain, were also the approved ways of the Jaina recluses who must have sought to imitate the life of the Master. The correspondence may be shown in a tabular form as follows
Buddhist Description I He goes naked
I
2
He is of loose habits 2
(performing his bodily functions and eating in a standing posture, not crouching down as well-bred people do)
Jarna Description This is styled as the
highest state' of a Jauna recluse (JainaSūtras, I, P 56 ) The 24th (non-bathing),
26th (non-brushing), 27th (taking meal in a standing posture) mūla-gunas of a Jaina muni (Mūlācāra, 31-33 )
1 Majjhima, I, p 92
2 IHQ, Vol II, pp 698 foll the Buddhist Literature
The Jaina references in
