CHAPTER IV
TIRTHANKARA
MAHAVIRA
1. His First Sermon and Ganadhara :
After the attainment of Kevalajnana,
(i. e. omniscience), which included the subtle and comprehensive
nature of the entire field of knowledge, Mahavira became known as ‘Kevali’._
i. e. the knower of Kevalajnana and as ‘Jina’, i.e. the Conqueror
(of passions). He was also to be Tirthankara. i. e. the Great Guide or
the Great Teacher because he was to preach, with the help of his knowledge, the
path of salvation to the mankind. People eagerly awaited to hear ‘Divya-Vani’,
i. e. the heavenly speech of Kevali Mahavira revealing the basic
principles of religion and the infallible way to achieve eternal happiness. In
fact to hear this heavenly speech a beautiful and spacious Audience Hall or
preaching Area known as ‘Samava-Sharana’ was specially
constructed according to the jaina tradition. In the ‘Samava-Sharana’ there
were three Circles, four Gates on four sides with a ‘Mana-Stambha’, i. e. a
pillar of glory, at each Gate, a Vedika, i. e. a raised platform, known as
‘Gandhakuti’, in the centre, and a Simhasana, i. e. throne,
on the Gandhakuti.
On all sides of the Gandhakuti twelve large enclosures were
formed for accommodating different kinds of human beings, animals, birds etc.
who would be coming to hear the heavenly speech. The peculiarity of ‘Samava-Sharana’
was that the animals having enmity towards each other (e.g. lion and
cow) forgot their enmity and became quite peaceful. The ‘Simhasana’ i. e. throne
on the Gandhakuti
was meant for Kevali Mahavira so that his heavenly speech could be
easily heard by all living beings assembled there.
The news about the construction of ‘Samava-Sharana’
on the banks of the river Rjukula spread far and wide and people
from longer distances hastened to assemble there and were extremely eager to
hear the heavenly speech of Kevali Mahavira as Nirgrantha Mahavira had observed
complete ‘Mouna’ i. e. silence,
during the preceding twelve years of his ascetic life. But the entire
congregation was greately disappointed because Kevali Mahavira did not utter
even a single word. People expected that Kevali Mahavira would deliver his
first Sermon the next day. But that expectation was not realised. After some
days Kevali Mahavira left Rijukula and started his Vihara, i.e. wandering from
place to place. ‘Samava-Sharana’ was constructed at each place
of his halt but to the great surprise of all Kevali Mahavira did not give up
his ‘Mauna’ i.e. silence. In his ‘Vihara’, one day Kevali Mahavira came to Vipulachala
mountain near the Capital city of Rajagriha and as usual a large number of
different categories of living beings had assembled in the ‘Samava-Sharana’
specially constructed there for
the purpose. Here the entire congregation became very happy and
felt extremely blessed as they could hear the ‘Divya-Vani’, i.e. heavenly speech, of Kevali Mahavira. Thus
kevali Mahavira delivered his first Sermon
and became Tirthankara Mahavira. ‘This great event took place on the
Vipulachala mountain in the early hours of the first day of the dark half of
the month of Shravana corresponding to Saturday lst July 557 B.C. It meant that
Mahavira observed ‘Mauna’, i. e. silence for 66 days after the attainment of Kevala-Jnana,
i. e. omniscience. This day of
Tirthankara Mahavira's first Sermon was highly appreciated by the people as the
‘Vira
shasana Day', i.e. the day of the
promulgation of religion by Mahavira, and was observed for many centuries as
the New Year's Day.
Even after the attainment of ‘Kevalajnana’, i.
e. omniscience, Mahavira had to wait for a period of 66 days
delivering his first Sermon due to one special reason. Mahavira felt that in all ‘Samava-Sharanas’ upto the ‘Samava-Sharana’ at Vipulachala mountain, there was no learned and
competent disciple who possessed the rare capacity to record the truth revealed
by him and to interpret his thoughts in the most satisfactory manner to the
people. When at Vipulachala Mahavira got
such a disciple, he delivered his First Sermon. That important disciple was the
renowned Brahmin Scholar, Indrabhuti Gautama. He
was considered as the authority on the Vedic lore and was regarded as the most talented
scholar as he imparted instructions in vedic literature to more than 500
students. Indrabhuti was a staunch follower of Vedic religion. But when he came to Vipulachala mountain
to discuss certain meanings of scriptures with Mahavira, his excessive pride
about his knowledge disappeared immediately after the sight of Mahavira and at
once became Mahavira's follower.
Recognising Indrabhuti’s unusual abilities, Mahavira initiated him as a Nirgrantha Muni, i.
e. a naked ascetic and made him his first Ganadhara, i. e. the Chief Disciple. With the initiation of
Indrabhuti Gautama, the problem of interpretation was solved and then immediately
Mahavira delivered his First Sermon on the Vipulachala mountain.
The
example of Indrabhuti Gautama was followed by his two brothers, Vayubhuti and Agnibhuti, who were also
reputed scholars of Vedic lore and renowned teachers as each of them used to impart instructions to 500
students. Both Vayubhuti and Agnibhuti
were highly impressed by the personality and preachings of Mahavira and they,
along with their followers, were admitted to the ascetic order by Mahavira. Considering
their capacity, scholarship and devotion, Mahavira made both Vayubhuti and
Agnibhuti as his Gandharas,
i.e the Chief Disciples.
In his ascetic order Mahavira gave great
importance to the Ganadharas as
their services were extremely useful in explaining in a convincing
manner to the common masses the basic principles of religion preached by him. The Ganadharas were also expected to record in their memory the
fundamental tenets of religion and philosophy as revealed to them by Tirthankaras
Mahavira and to pass them on in a very faithful way to the next generations.
Apart from these three Ganadharas, Tirthankara
Mahavira appointed eight more Ganadharas. Thus
in Tirthankara Mahavira's ascetic order there were eleven Ganadharas, i.e. apostles or chief disciples, as follows :-
1.
Indrabhuti-Gautaman 7. Putra,
2.
Vayubhuti 8.
Maitreya,
3.
Agnibhuti 9.
Akampana,
4.
Sudharma 10. Achelaka, and
5. Mourya, 11.
Prabhasaka.
6. Mandara,
Among these Ganadharas, the
first chief disciple Gautam, Ganadhara, rendered
distinctive services both to Tirthankara Mahavira and to the Jaina religion.
That is why even today when Jainas offer their salutations, they offer first to
Tirthankara Mahavira and then to Gautama Ganadhara only.
2. His Preaching Tour and
Followers :
After his first Sermon at Vipulachala,
Tirthankara Mahavira undertook the work of ‘Dharmachakra-Pravartana’ i. e. he set in motion the wheel of religion, and
continued it relentlessly for a long period of thirty years till the end of his
life. In fact Tirthankara Mahavira attached utmost importance to this work of
spread of religion and of conveying the right path of attaining salvation to
common masses because he had virtually planned his early life for this purpose
only. It was the mission of his life to see that all kinds of people placed
their unflinching faith in the fundamental principles of religion and led their
lives in accordance with the tenets of religion.
With a view to spread the message of
religion to the maximum possible extent among the general population, Tirthankara
Mahavira invariably used the medium of Ardha-Magadhi language for his Sermons
and discourses. This created a close intimacy between Tirthankara Mahavira and
the common masses, in particular, as the people easily understood the principles
of religion preached by him. The use of
common and intelligible language by Tirthankara Mavavira had far-reaching
effects on the people because it entirely removed the social distance between
the teacher and the taught.
Further, in this language of the masses
Tirthankara Mahavira used to explain in his sermons the basic philosophical and
ethical aspects of Jaina religion. In his philosophical discourses he showed
that jiva, i. e. life and Ajiva i. e. non-life,
are the basic constituents of the
universe and that their mutual contact creates problems of life. In this
connection he propounded the Six Dravyas, i. e. six substances, and Seven Tattvas, i. e. seven principles and on their basis explained the nature of all
the objects and their activities. In view of these fundamental things, he
revealed the Karma theory
and pointed out the way of getting
the Atman, i. e. the soul,
freed from the bondage of Karma. Along
with philosophical dispositions, Mahavira laid much emphasis on ethical aspects
involving actual practices of behaviour. He gave detailed exposition of Grihastha-Dharma
and Muni-Dharma, i. e. rules of behaviour to be observed by
house-holders and by ascetics. In his
ethical discussions Mahavira invariably laid utmost stress on the observance of
non-violence in actual life and on the strict avoidance of violent practice
like performance of animal sacrifices, eating flesh, killing animal for sports
and other purposes, etc.
Moreover, Tirthankara Mahavira
keenly desired that his views should be
communicated in an effective manner to different categories of persons. Accordingly he traversed on foot various
parts of the country and delivered his sermons not only to urban and rural people but
also to the tribal people living in the most interior hilly and forest regions. In
this connection Acharya Jinasena in his “Harivamsha-Purana” has stated that “just as Bhagavana Rishabhadeva
toured different parts of the country for bringing people on the path of
religion, similarly Bhagavana Mahavira also visited countries (a) like Kashi,
Kaushala, Kaushalya, Kusandhya, Ashvashtha, Salva, Trigarta, Panchala,
Bhadrakara, Patachchara, Mauka, Matsya, Kaniya, Surasena and Vrkarthaka from
central regions of India; (b) like Kalinga, Kurjangal, Kaikeya, Atreya, Kamboja,
Valhika, Yavanashruti, Sindhu, Gandhara, Sauvira, Sura, Bhiru, Dasheruka,
Badavana, Bharadvaja and Kvathatoya from the coastal regions of India, and (c)
like Tarna, Karna, Prachchhala etc. from the Northern regions of India and
spread the message of religion among the peoples of these countries.”
It is really very difficult to
identify the names of these countries
with the regions of India at present. But
from other literary sources we could note the exact names of countries, cities
and places visited by Tirthankara
Mahavira and the names of particular Kings, Queens, Merchants, Military
Officers etc. who became actual followers of Mahavira or extended their
patronage and help to Mahavira as follows :-
(1) Rajagriha, the Capital of Magadha, was visited many
times by Mahavira. Shrenika or
Bimbisara, the Emperor of Magadha, and his Queen Chelanadevi were the staunch
followers of Mahavira. Queen Chelana
was related to Mahavira in the sense that she,
being the daughter of King Chetaka of Vaishali, was the maternal aunt of
Mahavira. Many citizens of Magadha
also followed the example of this King and Queen in this regard.
(2) As a result of Mahavira's visit
to the Kingdom of Shravasti in the Southern Himalayan region, the influence of
Ajivika sect there began to decline. King of Shravasti viz. Prasenajita (alias
Agnidatta) showed his regard to Tirthanakara Mahavira and his Queen Mallika
built an audience hall for holding religious discussions among Jainas, Brahmins
and others.
(3) King Vijaysena of Polashapura
from North India respectfully welcomed Tirthankara Mahavira to his country and
his son, Prince Aimatta, adopted asceticism at the hands of Tirthankara
Mahavira.
(4) Many residents of the Kingdom of
Anga took pride in becoming the followers of Tirthankara Mahavira and their
General Kunika had extended a great welcome to Tirthankara Mahavira to the city
of Champa.
(5)
King Shatanika of Kaushambi, being greatly impressed by the teachings of
Tirthankara Mahavira, entered the ascetic order of Mahavira during the latter’s
visit to Kaushambi. King Satanika, through his wife Mrugavati, was -closely
related to Mahavira as Mrugavati was the younger sister of Trishala, the mother
of Mahavira.
(6) King Jitashatru of Benaras
showed special regard to Tirthankara Mahavira and Princess Mundika and many
citizens of Benaras like Chulastipiya and Suradeva adopted Jainism.
(7)
King Jitashatru of the Kingdom of Kalinga was the husband of Mahavira's
paternal aunt (i. e. sister of King Siddhartha) and he had greately celebrated
the visit of Tirthankara Mahavira to Kalinga City. King ultimately became a
Nirgrantha Muni, i. e. a naked ascetic.
(8) The residents of Pundra, Banga, Tamralipti and
other countries adjacent to Kalinga also became the devotees of
Tirthankara Mahavira during his visit to these countries.
(9) When Tirthankara Mahavira visited Rajapura, the Capital of Hemanga
country (i. e. near Mysore State) in southern India, its brave King Jivandhara
became a Nirgrantha Muni, i. e. a naked ascetic, joined the ascetic order of
Tirthankara Mahavira and went to the North along with the ‘Sangha’ of
Mahavira.
(10) During Tirthankara Mahavira's visit to the country of Ujjain in
Central India, its King Chanda-Pradyota became a devoted follower of Mahavira
and entered the ascetic order of Mahavira as a Nirgrantha Muni, i. a. a naked
ascetic.
(11) The King and citizens and of
Dasharna country, near Ujjain, in Central India, extended a very respectful
welcome to Tirthankara Mahavira.
(12) King Udayana of Sindhu
Sauvira country joined the ascetic order to Tirthankara Mahavira during the
latter's visit to his country.
(13)
During the visit of Tirthankara Mahavira to Mathura, the Capital city of
Saura country in North India, its King Uditodaya gave a warm welcome to the
Tirthankara.
(14)
When Tirthankara Mahavira visited Kampila or Kampilya, the Capital of
Panchala country in North India, its King by name Jaya became a Nirgrantha
Muni, i.e. a. naked ascetic.
In this way
Tirthankara Mahavira visited different parts of India and especially the
important centres in Eastern and Northern India. His visit and preachings
created so deep impressions on the minds of the people that they, of their own
accord, readily became his followers. Different categories of people like
Kings, Princes, Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Sudras etc. gladly embraced
Jainism either as ascetics or as lay followers.
Even ladies did not lag behind in joining Mahavira’s followers as they
had equal opportunities, like males, in the practice of religion. Hence males
and females of all castes and classes became ardent devotees of Tirthankara
Mahavira and were admitted into his ‘Sangha’, i.e. organisation. The fact that
many kings like Chetaka, Udayana, Satanika, etc., Princes like Abhayakumara,
Varishena, etc. and Brahmin scholars like Indrabhuti, Vayubhuti, Agnibhuti etc.
became Nirgrantha Munis, i.e. naked ascetics, and that many princesses like
Jyeshtha, Chandana, etc. became “Sadhvis’ i.e.
female ascetics showed the extraordinary effect produced by Tirthankara
Mahavira’s preachnigs on the people.
Further, with a view to ‘forge a sense of unity
among his varied followers and to keep them together Tirthankara Mahavira
formed a ‘Sangha’,
i.e. an organization, of them. In fact there was an established tradition
among the earlier Tirthankaras to form a ‘Chaturvidha Jaina Sangha’, i.e. a fourfold organization of the followers of Jaina
religion. Tirthankara Mahavira continued the same tradition and divided his
follower into four categories according to the sex and the strictness with
which the members practise the injunctions laid down by the Jaina religion as
follows :
1. Sadhus, i.e. male ascetics,
2. Sadhvis, i,a.
female ascetics,
3. Shravakas, i.e.
male laity, and
4. Shravikas, i.e.
female laity.
Acharya
Gunabhadra in his “Uttara-Purana” has stated that in Tirthankara Mahavira's ‘Sangha’ there were about
14,000 Sadhus.
36,000 Sadhvis,
1,00,000 Shravakas and
3,00,000 Shravikas.
Acharya Gunabhadra further mentions that
the ‘Sadhus’
i.e. the male ascetics, were not
of one type but belonged to different categories according to their levels of
spiritual attainments as follows :
11-Ganadharas, i.e. the Chief Disciples.
311-ascetics well-versed in the ‘Angas’.
400--ascetics known as ‘Anuttaravadis’.
500-ascetics possessing ‘Manahparyaya-Jnana, i.e. the knowledge of the
thoughts and feelings of others.
700-ascetics
possessing a special trait of ‘Vikriya’.
1300-ascetics
possessing ‘Avadhi-Jnana’, i.e.
the knowledge of the remote or past, and
9900-ascetics
meant for teaching.
Further Tirthankara Mahavira laid down
various rules and regulations for the proper conduct and governance of these
four orders and especially for the first two orders of ‘Sadhus’ and ‘Sadhvis’. In
the ‘Sangha’
of the ‘Sadhus’, there were 11 Ganadharas, i.e. the Chief Disciples and the first Chief Disciple
among them, viz. Indrabhuti-Gautama, worked as the Head of the Sadhus. Similarly, Chandana, the well-known female ascetic
and the maternal aunt of Mahavira, worked as the Head of the Sadhvis. It was the duty of these Heads of the Orders to see that
the detailed rules of ascetic life are faithfully observed by all ascetics. These ascetics were not only required to
make progress in their individual spiritual attainments but were also expected
to keep constant and intimate contact with the two orders of the lay followers,
to see that they follow the injunctions of religion laid down for them, to
impart instructions in religion
and morality to them, and to strive to increase their numerical strength by
encouraging the general population to adopt the Jaina religion as propounded by
Tirthankara Mahavira. The ‘Shravakas’ and ‘Shravikas’ on their part,
also showed utmost devotion to their practices of religion, aspired to enter
the ascetic order in course of time and invariably took great pains for the protection of the two Orders of
the ascetics so that they can carry out their difficult ascetic activities in a
calm and peaceful atmosphere. Thus
the two Orders of the ascetics and the two ,Orders of the lay
followers were supplementary to each other and the four Orders together formed
a unified and active organization. In this connection it can be stated that the
foundation of four Orders in the Jaina Community with their 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.
3. His Last Sermon and Parinirvana:
Tirthankara Mahavira continued his preaching tour in an uninterrupted
manner for nearly 30 years. In his
epoch-making tour he visited distant and different areas of the country and
through his “Divya-dhvani”, i.e. divine voice,
preached the principles of
Jainism to all sections of people. In
this tour when Tirthankara Mahavira reached Pavapura, the place known for its
scenic beauty, in the Malla Ganarajya, i.e. the republic of the Mallas, he
realised that it would be his last place of visit. He, therefore, delivered
his last Sermon to the assembled people at Pavapura and advised them in the following
manner : “If yon want to attain the real and eternal happiness, you will have
to see that your ‘Jiva’ i.e. soul,
attains its pure nature. As your ‘Jiva’
is mixed with ‘Pudgala’, i.e.
matter, all the sufferings and trans-
migrations of life occur. You will have to realise the basic principle
that “Jivah Anyah, Pudgalah anyah” i.e. Soul is separate and matter is
separate and that by removing the matter from Soul you can get eternal
happiness. This stage of liberation of soul from Karmic bondage can be achieved
by you by conquering your passions and by following right conduct based on
right faith and right knowledge. As a part of right conduct you will have
constantly to practise ‘Samyama’ i.e.
restraint and to observe ‘Pancha Vratas',
i.e. five vows, viz.
(i) Ahimsa, i.e. non-injury,
(ii) Satya, i.e. truth,
(III)
‘Asteya’, i.e. abstinence from stealing,
(IV) ‘Brahmacharya’,
i.e. Chastity, and
(V) ‘Aparigrahu’,
i.e. non-attachment.
You should remember that out of these
five vows, the first one of ‘Ahimsa’ is the most important, for by its
implication the other four vows also came within its purview. Since life is
deer and sacred to all living beings, we should respect it and should refrain from doing harm
or injury to other living beings. Hence
Ahimsa is the highest religion. That is why every one should try to deal with
others like one’s own self and should extend love and fellowship to all,
respect to the elders compassion for the needy and toleration towards the
perverse views. In brief, ‘live and let
live’ should be the greatest motto of life and every one should try to realise
the aim of life to the best of one’s ability.”
This
last Sermon was delivered by Tirthankara Mahavira on the thirteenth day of the
dark half of the month of Kartika. After the Sermon on the same day he set on a
clean slab of stone in a beautiful park
studded with pleasant lotus ponds and for attaining final liberation started ‘Yoga-nirodha’, i.e. restraining the
activities of his mind, speech and body. This
Yoga nirodha’ continued for two
days. Thus while he was plunged in ‘Sukla-dhyana’
i.e. pure meditation, Tirthankara Mahavira quitted the mortal coil and
became a ‘Siddha’, i.e. a liberated
soul. This great event known as Mahavira’s
‘Pari-nirvana’ i.e. liberation, took place in the
72nd year of his life in the ‘Brahmamuhurta’
i.e. the early hour before the sun-rise, when the Moon was in the ‘Svati’ Nakshatra i.e. constellation. on the last (i.e. fifteenth) day of the
dark half of the month of Kartika corresponding to Tuesday, the 15th October 527-B.C.
After Tirthankara Mahavira's Parinirvana his body was worshipped by his followers in accordance
with the last rites known as “Antyeshthi-Antima-Puja”
rites and was cremated on the funeral pyre made up of sandle-wood, camphor
and saffron. A huge congregation of persons silently witnessed the funeral rites and
applied with devotion the ‘Bhasma’ i.e.
ashes of burnt body, on their forehead.
Tirthankara Mahavira's process of Parinirvana was commenced by his Yoga-nirodha, on the 13th day of the dark-half of
the north of Kartika and was completed by his ‘Mukti’ i.e. liberation, on
the 15th day of the dark half of the month of Kartika. Further on the Pariniryana day of Tirthankara Mahavira,
his first Ganadhara, i.e. the Chief
Disciple, Indrabhuti Gautama attained ‘Kevala-Jnana’,
i.e. omniscience. With a view to celebrate the two significant events viz.
the Parinirvana i.e. the liberation
of Tirthankara Mahavira and the ‘Kevalajnana-Prapti’
i.e. the attainment of omniscience, by Ganadhara
Indrabhuti Gautama, the people assembled on that day expressed their utmost
joy by various means like shouting slogans, playing musical instruments,
lighting lamps, etc. King Hastipala, the chief of the ‘Malla Ganarajya’, i.e.
the Republic of the Malla Kshatriyas, the Chiefs of 18 other ‘Ganarajyas’ i.e.
the Republics, of Kshatriyas like Lichchhavis, Vajjis, Ikshvakus, etc. and the
Kings of 9 Kingdoms participated in these colourful and happy
celebrations.
These celebrations are being observed
even today by the followers of
Tirthankara Mahavira. Every year the
days from the 13th to the 15th of the dark half of the month of Kartika
constitute the most important festival
days of the year for the Jainas. The 13th day of the dark half of the month of
kartika is termed as ‘Dhanya –Trayodashi’, i.e. the blessed 13th day,because on that day Tirthankara Mahavira started his ‘Yoga-nirodha’ to achieve liberation. This day ‘Dhanya –Trayodashi’ later
on became known as ‘Dhana-Trayodashi’ i.e. ‘the day of
wealth’, in the sense that on that day Tirthankara Mahavira made a beginning to
get ‘Lakshmi’, i.e. Wealth in the form of ‘Moksha’, i.e liberation. As a remembrance of that day, people
still worship wealth in the material forms like money, ornaments, etc. on the ‘Dhana –Trayodashi’ day.