Shraman Bhagvana Mahavira Part 3

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

Page 5

Introduction
The Text of Gaṇadhara-väda
(a) Sources.
It is now a welknown fact that Riṣabhadeva Swāmi, the first Tirthankara of the persent series, was the founder of the Jaka Canon. It was during his regime that the Sacred, Works of the Jainas came into existence. After him, the Sacred Works increased in number and quality, when the religion was exalted to a high rank, but they were reduced considerably in times of disorder and anarchy. Generally speaking, preachings of all the Tirthankaras happend to be of the same kind, and their lives were almost similar to each other in principal characteristics,
Śramana Bhagavāna Mahāvīra, the elder contemporary of Gautama Buddha, was the last, but Supreme Tirthankara in the whole dynasty. Like His predecessors, He too had got his preachings composed in books. His Ganadharas or principal disciples arranged those preachings in twelve Angas, the last one being divided into fourteen Purvas. The Absolute Knowledge of these Purvas began to fad gradually, till at las it was totally extinct. Ārya Jambu Swāmi was the last Kévalin. After him there were half a dozen Pattadharas designated as ŚrutaKévalins. Then there were ten aśapūrvins, possessing the knowledge of ten Purvas only. Arya Vajra Swami was the last Daśapūrvin, after whom the knowledge of Purvas began to fade quickly. Dévardahigaṇi Kṣamāśramaṇa was the last of the type
Thus, when the knowledge of the original preaching of Śramaṇa Bhagavān Mahavira was fast disappearing. it was rightly felt by some of his successors to commit those preachings to writing. As a result of such efforts, forty-five Sacred Works