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EPITHETS OF LORD MAHĀVĪRA IN EARLY JAINA CANONS
Buddha (139, 177, 882, 204) was used for an intelligent person but after Gautama it became the sole property of Buddhism and became the special name of Gautama. The term Buddha, though used as an epithet in early days for Mahāvīra, does not denote him in later period. The terms, Vīra and Mahāvīra were common for a heroic person, but we see that they have become the real names of Lord Vardhamāna; thus in course of time the original name Vardhamāna was thrown in background giving place to the terms Vira and Mahāvīra. The terms Jina, and Arhat were common for all the leaders of śramanas and we see that the word Jaina was not the property of the followers of Lord Mahāvīra alone. It should be noted that the followers of Buddha were known for a long time as Jainas, but now the case is not so and only the followers of Mahāvīra are denoted by the word. Same is the case with the term Tathāgata, and we now see that only lord Buddha is denoted by it.
In this way the denotation of these words, though broad in early days, has become limited in course of time. In this context I shall try here to collect the various epithets given to Lord Mahāvīra in the earlier canonical literature of the Jainas. Ācārānga, Part 1
The first part of the Acārārga can be sub-divided in two sections. The chapters in the beginning giving the gist of the preaching is the first section and the last chapter, depicting the ascetic life of Lord Mahāvīra, is the second section. Let us now see the epithets used in them for Lord Mahāvīra.
In his mendicant life Mahāvīra calls himself a 'Bhikkhu' (9. 2. 12.). He is also called 'Nāyaputta' (9. 1. 10.) and Nāyasuya indicating his clan, but both of these terms have become his names also.
He is sometimes given an epithet 'Muni' which is generally used for an ordinary ascetic or monk.
That even the śramanas were using the term 'Māhana' (Brāhmana) for their respected persons is well-known from the Dhammapada of the Pāli canon as well as from the Uttaradhyayana of the Jaina canon. So it is but natural that Mähana be used as one of the epithets of Mahāvīra (9. 1 23; 9. 2 16; 9. 3 14; 9. 4. 17; 9. 2. 10; 9. 4. 3). He is also called Nāni (9. 1. 10) and Mehāvi (9.1. 16) which fact indicates that he was not only a person of good character but was endowed with knowledge also. He is again and again given the epithet 'Mahāvīra' (9. 1. 13; 9. 3. 8; 9. 4. 14; 9. 2 1; 9. 3. 13) for his valour shown with regard to his ascetic life. And we see that it has become his real name. He is respectfully
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