________________
CONTRIBUTION
OF MAHAVIRA
TO INDIAN CULTURE
KAILASH CHAND JAIN
Mahavira, who lived in the sixth century B. C., made distinct and special contributions, to Indian culture. He is described as a supreme personality, and acknowledged as a great Brahmana, a great guardian, a great guide, a great preacher, a great pilot and a great recluse. There were several religious thinkers and sects contemporary to Mahavira, but their philosophical dogmas had a merely temporary vogue, and gradually faded away. Inspite of the opposition from time to time, Mahavira's religion came to stay, and influenced the Indian culture in different ways.
derable time. is very helpful. As it was codified much afterwards with certain interpolations and changes, it should be used with caution. This literary evidence is twofold: direct and collateral. The direct evidence is that which is furnished by the Jaina literary works specially the Purvas and the Avigas, and the collateral one is gathered from the Buddhist literary works known as Nikayas.
The most important contribution of Mahavira to Indian Culture is the doctrine of ahimsa or non-violence. Previously there was too much slaughter of animals and injury to creatures, and this practice of violence polluted the whole atmosphere of the society. Animals were killed even in the religious sacrifices which were performed to please the gods. For the
For the true understanding of Mahavira's contributions to Indian culture, his contemporary literature, which remained in the form of oral traditions for a consi-
poo
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