Sudha Sagar Hindi English Jaina Dictionary

Author(s): Rameshchandra Jain
Publisher: Gyansagar Vagarth Vimarsh Kendra Byavar

Page 204

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for food in the tradition of Jaina practices of asceticism prevailing at the time of Pārsva. The practices that the Buddha followed in the early stages of his ascetic career were this śramanic practices, prevailing in the Jaina codes of ascetic life from the pre-Mahāv ira times, at least from the times of Parsva. Some scholars are of the opinion that for some time in the early stage of the self-denying career, the Buddha followed the tradition of pārsvanatha. The Buddha was influenced in his ascetic career by the teaching and methods of Parsvanatha. In the Anguttara Nikaya, it is said that Buddha's uncle 'Bappa Sakya' was a niggan tha śrāvaka', following the tradition of Pārsvās teachings. It is therefore, clear that Pārsvās tradition was known as was followed at the time of Buddha and Mahavira. It has also been said that Mahavira's parents followed the tradition of Pārsvās teachings. The custom of Varṣāvāsa refered to in Mahāvagga must have been influenced by the Parsva cult. Tirthamkara Mahavira is said to have mentioned that he was preaching what the earlier Tirthamkara pārsva preached. Tirthamkara Parsvanatha was the predecessor of Mahavira and Pārsva tradition was prevailing at the time of Buddha and Mahāvira.
Tir. 1-2. पार्श्वनाथ - Parsvanāth flourished towards the end of the ninth century B.C., i.e., 250 years before Mahavira. He was a religions teacher of great emi
nence and had a fight against the Brahmanic tyranny of caste system and the preponderance of Himsa (i.e. Killing) of animals in Vedic sacrifices which was gradually filtering into the east from the western part of India. He, therefore, threw open the doors of his religion to all persons without any distinction of caste, creed or sex. Both males and females could enter the order of Pārsvanatha on the basis of equality. He preached the four great vows i.e., Ahimsa (i.e. non injury), 'Satya' (i.e. truth), Asteya (i.e. abstinence from stealing) and 'Aparigraha' (i.e. non attachment to worldy things) and emphasised the necessity of observing strict asceticism as a means for the attainment of salvation. Moreover, Pārsvanatha divided the followers of Jaina religion into four categories according to sex and strictness with which the members practise the injunctions laid down by the jaina religion, viz. (i) yatis or Sadhus or Munis, i.e.male ascetics; (ii) Āryikas or Sadhvis, i.e., female ascetics; (iii) Śrāvakas, i.e., male laity and (iv) Śrāvikas, i.e. female leaders to look after and supervise the conduct of members comprising the order shows that there was a pretty good arrangement to govern and organise the jaina community from the earliest times. In fact, this is one of the important reasons put forward for the rervival of jainism in India as against its rival Buddhism. J-47. पार्शवनाथ - Parsvanātha is supposed to have attained nirvana about 250 years before the nirvana of the 24th Tirthamkara Vardhamana Mahavira.