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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsun Gyanmandir
The Teachings of Tirthankara Mahavira
From the day that the venerable Mahavira attained pure knowledge or omniscience, he taught the principles of spiritual living for three hours daily His teachings brought spiritually wholesome changes to the lives of many a man and woman.
In those days, there was a prevailing belief that discourses on philosophy and religion should only be conducted in Sanskrit, the language of gods. The common people could not, therefore, understand the principles of religion. and they had to accept what the so-called 'high' or 'learned persons said. The glory of religion consisted in its being incomprehensible. It was thought that the science which was comprehensible was 'lower' science, while the science which was incomprehensible was 'higher' science. As a result of such a belief, religion, moral causation and philosophy were not discussed in the language of the people.
Lord Mahavira took a revolutionary step. He set aside Sanskrit, the language of the elite and pundits. He propagated his teachings in Prakrit, the language of the common people, because he wanted to spread Truth to the masses. He delivered his sermons in Ardhamagadhi Prakrit, the language of the Magadha region. The secrets of religion and spiritual living were disclosed and expounded by him in the simple and comprehensible language of the people. His message of non-violence, love and friendship rapidly spread among the people. He travelled on foot from place to place, expounding the principles of good living and the means to attain peace in the language of the people, without distinguishing between race, caste, class, age or sex.
He cleared the confusions of eleven great Brahmana pundits, as a result of which 4411 people simultaneously became ascetic disciples of Mahavira in a single day. Chandanabala was inspired to become a female ascetic under the leadership of Mahavira. Mahavira initiated her into the spiritual discipline of asceticism and thus established an order of nuns of which Chandana eventually became the head.
Great social changes took place. Mahavira declared women equal to men in status, elevated them to the same position as men held in the field of religion, regarded them as qualified for ascetic life and accepted them to the monastic order. Thus Mahavira spread knowledge among women. Tirthankara Mahavira established the fourfold order of monks, nuns, laymen
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