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Sumati-Jñāna "we ought also to remember both that the Jain religion is certainly older than Mahavira, his reputed predecessor, Parsva having almost certainly existed as the real person*.” Dasgupta also holds the same views. Considering this, we may say that Mahavira made certain reforms in the then existing Jainism but was not its exact founder. According to the tradition, Mahavira was born in 599 BC and died in 527 BC. He was an elder contemporary of Buddha, the founder of Buddhism.
The vow of celibacy was the fifth code of discipline added by Mahavira to the already existing four advocated by Parsva. In this regard, Jacobi and others feel that the fifth code celibacy, added by Mahavira, was implicit in the teachings of Parsva which was explicitly expressed by Mahavira?. The practice of nudity has another code of reform introduced by Mahavira; whereas, Parsva allowed an under and upper garment to his followers. Mahavira should have been inspired in this regard by the practice of Rsabha, the first Tirthankara who was said to have gone naked in a later stage of his life. The practice of Pratikramana i.e., the confession and condemnation of transgressions which had been observed from the beginning of all the Tirthankaras was made compulsory on all by Mahavira. Mahavira, thus, seemed to have imposed great discipline on the code and conduct of life of Jains with the help of his winning personality and organizational skill. He attracted royal and ordinary persons alike into his fold, and it is also felt that his chief disciples (Ganadharas) were all Brahmins who were considered the intelligentia of the society. With the help of these learned Ganadharas who put forth convincing arguments, Mahavira was able to spread his religion. Mahavira and his disciples treated the language of the masses as the vehicle through which they could attract to people to their fold, helped the spread of Jainism to a great extent. In addition to this Mahavira, connections with the then royal families stood in good stead in his mission. The schism which occurred in his religion, during his life time, right under his nose did not deter him from his convictions. Jainism in the Post-Mahavira Period In the post-Mahavira period, the spread of Jainism became, more or less, a case of migration than a continuous expansion. The eastern part of North India was the field of activity of Mahavira who had connections with the kings of the sixteen Mahajanapadas'.
The kings of Sisunaga dynasty, the Nandas, the Mauryas etc., played an important part in patronizing Jainism. Though the Guptas were supposed to be the fanatical Vaisnavites, they exhibited religious tolerance under whom Jainism modestly flourished side by side with Brahmanism and Buddhism. From the stray epigraphs etc., we note that Jainism flourished under the Pratiharas. It was well revived by the Candellas of Bundelkhand. The Gahadvalas (eleventh to thirteenth century) recognized Jainism. The Central India, the Gwalior, the Dubkund, also encouraged the activities of the Jains. The Haihayas of Tripuri, the Paramaras of Gujarat, Malwa and Rajputana, gave a helping hand to it. Jainism was caressed in a congenial atmosphere in Gujarat for its activities. It migrated to the South India long before the Christian era, may be earlier than the third century BC. Entering the
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