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ŚRUTA-SARITĀ
called Samana Bhagavam (9. 1. 1.) and the terms Bhagavam, bhagavonte, Bhagavayā occur so often that we can easily surmise that during the period he had become a highly venerable person amongst many such ascetics (9. 1. 4, 15; 9. 2. 5 6. 15; 9. 3. 12, 16. 9. 4. 1, 3, 5,; 9. 3. 7; 9. 4. 12; 9. 1. 23; 9. 2. 6.
Though he was not omniscient (Choumatthe vi 9. 4. 15) he was akasai-- without any defilement and was also vigayagehi---without any longing (9.4. 15).
It is clear that though he is given an epithet like Bhagavam, he is not called here in this portion Tirthankara. And as regards Bhagavam we should note here that even in the later portion of the canon even the ordinary Śramanas and Sthaviras are called Bhagavanta (II. 71, 162). In fact, there was a rule that an ascetic should address even an ordinary woman as 'Bhagavati' (II. 134). This indicates that the term 'Bhagavam' was not used for a leader or the head of a sect, and though a term for showing respect it did not had the meaning of an exalted person.
As a preacher and head of a sect
Now we turn to the preaching portion contained in the first eight chapters of the Acārānga part I. Here in many places the terms 'Vira' and 'Mahāvīra' are used but it should be noted that they do not refer to Lord Mahāvīra but to other persons who have shown valour in their ascetic life. (1. 172; 1. 185; 1. 140). We should also note that though while describing Mahāvīra's ascetic life he is called Vira' as well as 'Mahāvīra', as we have seen, we must conclude that there is the tendency towards the fact that Mahāvīra should become his name. This also is clearly established by the fact that the Pali Pitakas mention Mahāvīra as Nigantha Nātaputta and not as Mahāvīra. So we can conclude that Lord Mahāvīra became famous by that name after the time of Pāli Pitaka.
In this part Lord Mahāvīra is referred to as 'Nayapeetta' (8. 8. 12), ‘Mahanana maimaya' (200, 206), i (1, 10, 15, 16, 23, 45, 52, 58, 90, 185, 214, 216, 220). Once he is referred to as Tom Taçi 31144TU GUURIT, TUI (Poo). Here we see that he is called Asuprajna and also having 70 and 49. At other place he is called 'Kausala' (166). But nowhere he is referred to as Tīrthankara. In Dighanikāya etc. though he is given the epithet Tirthankara, it is significant that in Acāranga part I nowhere he is referred to as such. This may signify that this portion of the Acāranga is anterior to Dighanikāya.
Lord Mahāvīra in this part is called 'Muni' (153, 159) being ranked with other such ‘munis'.
Here we find the use of 'Arahanta Bhagavanta' (126) and Jina (5. 5)
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