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Origin and Development of Jaina Sanghu
113
In both the Digambara and Svetambara canons it is stated that Parávanātha was born at Kasi and attained nirvana at Sametašikhara (Parašapātha hill in Bihar). This much is undoubtedly known from both the sources that the field of religious propagation of Parsvanātha was Eastern India-mainly Northern and Southern parts of Bihar lying on the north and south of the Ganges respectively. But it is not possible to determine the boundary of his Vihārabhūmi (field of his mission). Only it can be indistinctly made clear on the basis of the Againic reference to the limits of the field of mission of the Parsvapatyiyas (his followers) and the Bnddhist works:
It is come across in the Buddhist texts that "appa Sakkya, the uncle of the Buddha,15 a resident of Kapilavastu! 6 in Nepal) was a Nirgrantha Srāvaka.t? It appears from this fact of the existence of the Nirgrantha Srāvakas in Kapilavastu that Nirgranthadharma flourished historically in the Sakhya land in the period earlier than that of the
Buddha.
At Stavasti (Sahet Māhat)19 which was situated on the bank of Aciravati, lying to the south of Nepal, there took place the meeting between Kest Sramına of Pārsvanathaparampara and the chief disciple of Mahavira, Gautama ludrabhuti. 19 This Kesi initiated king Paesi and his charioteer to Nirgranthadharma20 at Seya viya? 1 which is indentified with Setaviya of the Bauddha Pitaka, lying at a distance not far from Srāvasti. During the life time of Mahavira the Parsvāpatyiyas flourished at Vaisali (present Vesarh22 of Mazaffarpur District, Bihar), Ksatriya Kundagrama (present Vásukundi23 and Vanijyagrama (present Vāņiaga. on 25 a quarter of greater Vaisali).
The parents of Malavira Were Pārsvapatviyas. 2 5 It is not surprisiug if his elder brother, Nandivarddhana, etc. were also Parsvāpatyiyas. It is said that the father of Mahavira used to visit Duipalasa Caitya which might have been sanctified by the image of Parsvanātha.
of Parsvarātha.
At Rajagrha (modern Rajgir) Mahavira 2 6 heard through the moutli of Indrabhati about the news of the religious discussion between the Parsva patylya theras (monks) and the Sravakas (lay worshippers) of Tungika (Tungi) 37 at Puspavati caitya.
On the basis of these scanty surviving (preserved). informations it can be said without doubt that some villages and towns of the north and
Sambodhi XIII-15
