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146
SHRAMAN MAHAVIR
Gautam went to Tinduk garden with his disciples. Keshi duly received them He offered them seats The debate started 1
On being questioned regarding the reason for multiplying the major observances (Mahavratas), Gautam said, 'The sages of the era of Lord Parshwa were immune from semantic distortions They precisely grasped the meaning of observances Lord Parshwa decried the craving for possessing and enjoying the mundane Thus the sages denounced that which was non-Brahma and that which conduced to acouisition The milieu is different today Sages of today are prone to semantic fallacies They tend to go in for literal meanings It might be known to the readers that certain monks of this tradition choose to propagate the view that Lord Parshwa never forbade incontinence Such a notion conduced to licentiousness Lord Mahavira took stock of the situation and expanded the major observances to include the two other major observances of continence and non-acquisition (Bahiddhadan Virman) The perverse logic that was exploited to promote the tendency of incontinence was nipped in the bud by this installation of the two additional major observances (Mahavratas ) It is not a confusion of the religious values but is arising out of our own religion and serves as an antidote to the peculiar mode of modern thinking 2
Keshi's band found their faculties pepped up, having had their doubts resolved Keshi himself was highly impressed He saw his feeling echoed by his disciples and it was decided to join the order It was a glorious achievement of Gautam It was a landmark in the history of the Lord's order This confluence with an old and noble tributary fairly widenend the span of the great stream 3
The followers of Lord Parshwa did not readily recognise Mahavira and his tirthas Potracted disputations were held
9 2 3
Uttarajjhayanı 23/1/22 Uttarajihayanı' 23/23-28 Ibid, 23/86, 89
