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quin EPITHETS OF LORD MAHĀVIRA IN EARLY JAIN CANON
Dalsukh Malvania
There were many groups of the Sramanas, each of them baving a fonder This fact is proved sufficiently by the Pali-Piçakas AU soch londen ese given the following common epithets in the Palt canon
'Het ta, 7, Tarakat , , THEN, Facest, reसम्मतो बहुजनस्स, रत्त, चिरपब्बजितो, भधगतो, वयोअनुप्फातो'-दीपक सामञफलसुत्त ।
lo addition to these common epithets in Pall coon Lord Maharn the leader of the group of Nigganthas, was further given sach epli hets m,
"निगण्ठो, भावुसो नाटपुत्तो सब सम्बदस्सावी, अपरिसेर्स बामदसान परिजानाति चरतो च मे तिट्ठतो च सुत्तस्स च जागरस्स च सक्त समित मामदरसा पचुपतिं ति"-मज्झिमनिकाय, देवदहसुस्त
Here in this paper I want to discuss the epithets of Lord Maha as are found in some of the texts of the carly Jaina canoaxcal literature, at these texts are not of the same time, I shall take them one by one accord ing to their chronological order This procedure will belp us to know u to how a cluster of epithets was devoloped in the course of thes and to how the final one was arrived at, not only that but as to hor some of the common cpithets became the property of e particular group-louder The discussion will also make it clear that the epithets ven to Lord Moly in the Pall-pitakas do not belong to the early period of time Again will prove the Acuranga part I to be earlier than that of the Pdl pakn. It will also be clear from the discussion that is time passed on some of theso epithets acquired the status of name having lost their nato of adjectives
The epithets, viz. Arthanta, Arhat, Buddha, llan, Vor, Mabevera and Tathagate were not the sole property of a loader of a particular Hot whether Brahmin or Sramana Bot it seems that they became popular amongst the Sramanic sects especially for Mahavira, Gourla and Buddha with the result that they were dropped by the Brahmin sects for their leaders. Similarly
1, Read At A, I Oriental Conference, Uljalo, 1972.
