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The Doctrines of Jainism
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There is no doubt that Mahavīra added new tenets to the existing Jain doctrines and presented them in well organised and well knit form. Jacobi has convincingly shown that Mahavira formulated Syãdvāda, a very important theory of Jain philosophy owing Sanjaya Belatthiputta. He writes, "that in opposition to the Agnosticism Mahāvīra has established the Syadvāda." He might have been inspired by the contemporary philosophical discussions to form new philosophical ideas. But the contention of B. M. Barua that Gośãla was the philosophic predecessor of Mahāvīra and the latter owed a lot to the former is erroneous, Jacobi is also of the view that Mahavīra was highly influenced by Gośãla in the formulation of his doctrine. Disbelieving the Jain version of the relationship between Gośāla and Mahāvīra, he holds that Mahavīra adopted some religious ideas and practices of the Ajīvikas as concessions made to them in order to win over Gosala and his disciples. According to him he borrowed Gośāla's ideas of division of mankind into six classes and altered it in the doctrine of six lesyãs. In his opinion, Mahāvīra adopted more rigid rules from Gośāla. He writes, "With regard to the rule of conduct the collective evidence obtainable is such as to amount nearly to prove that Mahavīra borrowed the more rigid rules from Gośāla." He appears to point towards achelakatva (nudity) which formed a very important principle of ethics.
It is strange that too much importance has been attached to Gośãla's contributions to the development of Jain doctrines while there is no convincing evidence in support of it. But the truth appears to be otherwise. There is no reason to doubt the statement of the Jain texts that initiative was taken by Gosala to meet with Mahāvīra. In all probability, being a man of spiritual leaning and in quest of truth he joined Mahāvīra as a novice. He received training in ascetic practices and philosophical thinking in the company of Mahāvīra. He, as is quite possible, must have been in continuous dialogue with Mahāvīra regarding philosophical ideas which Mahavira had acquired from the Jain tradition and the new ones
