Vaishali Institute Research Bulletin 3

Author(s): R P Poddar
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 115

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VAISHALI RESEARCH BULLETIN No. 3
Buddhas. Vimala, a Paccekabuddha, has been named after Vimala-Natha, the 13th Jaina Tirthankara.
Jaina Tradition and Hindusim
The Jaina tradition of 24 Tirthankaras seems to have been accepted by the Hindus, like the Buddhists, as could be seen from their ancient scriptures. The Hindus, indeed, never disputed the fact that Jainism was founded by Rishabhadeva and placed his time almost at what they conceived to be the commencement of the world. They acknowledged him as a divine person and counted him amongst their Avataras i. e. various incarnations of Lord Vishnu. They give the same parentage (-father Nabhiraja and mother Marudevi) of Rishabhadeva as the Jainas do and they even agree that after the name of Rishabhadeva's eldest son Bharata this country is known as Bharata-Varsha.
So far as the oldest Vedic literature is concerned we find that in the Rig Veda there are clear references to Rishabha, the 1st Tirthankara, and to Arishtanemi, the 22nd Tirthankara. The Yajur Veda also mentions the names of three Tirthankaras, viz. Rishabha, Ajitanatha and Arishtanemi. Further, the Atharva Veda specifically mentions the sect of Vratyas and this sect signifies Jainas on the ground that the term Vratya' means the observer of Vratas or vows as distinguished from the performer of sacrifices, which applied to the Hindus at these times. Similarly in the Atharva-Veda the term Maha-Vratya occurs and it is supposed that this term refers to Rishabhadeva, who could be considered as the great leader of the Vratyas.
In the later Puranic literature of the Hindus also there are ample references to Rishabhadeva. The story of Rishabha occurs in the Vishnupurana and Bhagavata-Purana, where he figures as an Avatara i. e. incarnation of Narayana, in an age prior to that of ten avataras of Vishnu. The story is exactly identical with the life history of Rishabhadeva as given in the Jaina sacred literature. In this way Rishadhadeva's life and significant importance narrated in the Jaina literature get confirmed by the account of Rishabha given in the Hindu Puranas.
Thus from the fact that Hindu tradition regards Rishabhadeva-and not Mahavira-along with Gautama Buddha as an incarnation of God, it can be said that the Hindu tradition also accepts Rishabhadeva as the founder of Jainism.
Jaina Tradition and Archaeological Evidence
From some historical references it can be regarded that Rishabhadeva must be the real founder of Jainism. In this connection Dr. Jacobi writes thus, there is nothing to prove that Parshva was the founder of Jainism. Jaina tradition is unanimous in making Rishabha the first Tirthapkara