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PRABUDDH JEEVAN
NOVTEMBER 2014
Mahavira is always described as Nigantha Natāputta (Nirgrantha Jnātrputra), i.e. the naked ascetic of the Unātr clan and never as the founder of Jainism. Fur- ther, in the Buddhist literature Jainism is not shown as a new religion but is referred to as an ancient religion. There are ample references in Budhhist books to the Jaina naked ascetics, to the worship of Arhats in Jaina chaitayas or temples and to the chatur-yāma-Dharma (i.e. fourfold religion) of 23rd Tirthankara Pārsvanatha.
Moreover it is very per pertinent to find that the Budhhist literature refers to the Jaina-tradition of Tirthankaras and specifically mentions the names of Jaina Tirthankaras like Rsabha-deva, Padma-prabha, Chandra-prabha, Puspadanta, Vimalanātha, Dharmanātha and Neminātha. The Dharmottara pradipa, the well-known Buddhist book, mentions Rsabhadeva along with the name of Mahāvira or Vardhamāna as an Apta or Tirthankara. The Dhammika-sutta of the Amgutaranikāya speaks of Arista-nemi or Neminātha as one of the six Tirthankaras mentioned there. The Buddhist book Manoratha purani mentions the names of many lay men and women as followers of the Pārsvanātha tradition and among them is the name of Vappa, the uncle of Gautama Buddha. In fact it is mentioned in Buddhist literature that Gautama Buddha himself practiced penance according to the Jaina way before he propounded his new religion. Jaina and Vedic Tradition
The Jaina tradition of 24 Tirthankaras seems to have been accepted by the Hindus like the Buddhists as could be seen from their ancient scriptures. The Hin- dus, indeed, never disputed the fact that Jainism was founded by Rsabha-deva and placed his time almost at what they conceived to be the commencement of the world. They acknowledged him as a divine person. They gave the same parentage (father Nābhirāja) and mother Marudevi) of Rsabha-deva as the Jainas do and they even agree that after the name of Rsabhadeva's eldest son Bharata this country is known as Bharata-varsa.
In the Rig-veda there are clear references to Rsabha, the 1st Tirthankara, and to Aristnemi, the 22nd Tirthankara. The Yajur-veda also mentions the names of three Tirthankaras, viz., Rsbha, Ajita-nāta and Arista-
nemi. Further, the Atharva-veda specifically mentions the sect of Vrātyas and this sect signifies Jainas on the gorund that the term Vrātyas means the observer of vratas of vows as distinguished from the Hindus at those time. Similarly in the Atharva-veda the term Mahāvrātya occurs and it is supposed that this term refers to Rsbhadeva, who could be considered as the great leader of the Vrātyas. (B) Archaeological Sources
From some historic references it can be regarded that Rsabha-deva must be the founder of Jainism. In this connection Dr. Jacobi writes 'There is nothing to prove that Pārsva was the founder of Jainism, Jaina tradition is unanimous in making Rsabha, the first Tirthankara, as its founder and there may be something historical in the tradition which makes him the first Tirthankara.' There is evidence to show that so far back as the first century B.C. there were people who were worshipping Rsabha-deva. It has been recorded that king Khāravela of Kalinga is his second invasion of Magadha in 161 B.C. brought back treasures from Magadha and in these treasures there was the idol, known as Aaraiina, of the first Jina (Rsbha-deva) which had been carried away from Kalinga, three centuries earlier by king Nanda I. This means that in the 5th century B.C. Rsabha-deva was worshiped and his statue was highly valued by his followers.
As we get in ancient inscriptions, authentic historical refernces to the statues of Rsbha-deva, it can be asserted that he must have been the founder of Jainism.
Other archaeological evidences belonging to the Indus Valley Civilization of the Bronze Age in india also lend support to the hoary antiquity of the Jaina tradition and suggest to prevalence of the practice of worship of Rsabha-deva, the 1st Tirthankara along with the worship of other deities. Many relics from the Indus Valley excavations suggest the prevalence of Jaina religion in that ancient period (3500 to 3000 B.C.)
(To be Continued)
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