Shraman Bhagvana Mahavira Part 1

Author(s): Ratnaprabhvijay, D P Thaker
Publisher: Parimal Publication

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of wang critics and still does so). In the following pages I shall try to destroy this prejudice and to vindicate that authority and credit of the sacred books of the Jainas to which they are entitled We begin our discussion with an inquiry about Mahāvira the founder or at least the Last Prophet of the Jaina Church. It will be seen that enough is known of him to invalidate the suspicion that he is a sort of mystical person inventerl or set up by a younger sect some centuries after the pretended age of their assumed founder.
2. Prof: WEBER,
Though most scholars do not go the length of denying that Mahävira and Buddha were different persons, yet some will not admit that this decides the question at issue. Professor Weber in his learned treatise on the Literature of the Jainas* says that he still regards “ the Jainas merely as one of the ollest sects of Buddhism. ' According to my opinion' he writes this is not precludled by the tradition about the origin of its founder having partly made use of another person than Buddha Sākyamuni; nay even of one whose name is frequently mentioned in Buddhist legends as one of Buddha's contemporary opponents. This rather suggests to me that the Jainas intentionally disowned Buddha, heing driven to this ex*remity by the animosity of the sect The number and importar sc of coincidences in the tradition of either sect regarding their founlers is on the whole over-whelming."
Professor Weber's last argument the very one on which he seenis to base his theory, has, according to my opinion, heen fully refuted by our preceding inquiry. This theory, in itself, woull require the strongest proof before we could admit it as even probablo. Generally, heterodox sects claim to be the most authentic and correct interpreters of the words and tenets of their founders. If a sect hrgms to recognise mother authority than that of the original founder of the main church, it either adopts another faith already in existence or starts a new one. In the
* Indische Studien XVI 210.