Mahavira
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the Jain Tirthankara. For the Jain mathematician, see Mahāvīra (mathematician).
Not to be confused with Mahavihara.
| Mahavira | |
|---|---|
| 24th Jain Tirthankara | |
The idol of Mahavira at Shri Mahavirji, Rajasthan
| |
| Other names | Vīr, Ativīr, Vardhamāna, Sanmati, Nigaṇṭha Nātaputta |
| Symbol | Lion |
| Height | 7 cubits (10.5 feet) |
| Age | 72 years |
| Tree | Shala |
| Color | Golden |
| Parents |
|
| Preceded by | Parshvanatha |
| Born | Kundalpur |
| Moksha | Pawapuri |
| Part of a series on |
| Jainism |
|---|
 |
 Jainism portal |
Mahavira (Mahāvīra), also known as Vardhamāna, was the twenty-fourth and last Jain Tirthankara (ford maker). Mahavira was born into a royal family in what is now Bihar, India, in 599 BC. At the age of 30, he left his home in pursuit of spiritual awakening, and abandoned worldly things, including his clothes, and became a monk. For the next twelve-and-a-half years, Mahavira practiced intense meditation and severe penance, after which he became kevalī (omniscient).
For the next 30 years, he travelled throughout the Indian subcontinent to teach Jain philosophy. Mahavira taught that the observance of the vows ahimsa (non-violence), satya (truth), asteya (non-stealing), brahmacharya (chastity) and aparigraha (non-attachment) is necessary to elevate the quality of life. He gave the principle of Anekantavada (pluralism), Syadvada and Nayavada. The teachings of Mahavira were compiled by Gautama Swami (his chief disciple) and were called Jain Agamas. Most of these Agamas are not available today. Jains believe Mahavira attained moksha (liberation from the cycle of birth and death) at the age of 72.
Biography[edit]
See also: Panch Kalyanaka
In Jainism, a Tirthankara (Maker of the River-Crossing, saviour, spiritual teacher) signifies the founder of a tirtha which means a fordable passage across the sea of interminable births and deaths (called saṃsāra).[1][2] According to the Jain texts, twenty-four Tirthankaras grace each half of the cosmic time cycle. Mahavira was the last Tirthankara of Avasarpiṇī (present descending phase).[3][a] Samantabhadra, an illustrious Digambara monk, who lived in the 2nd century A.D., called the tīrtha of Mahavira by the name Sarvodaya (universal uplift).[5]
Mahavira is often called the founder of Jainism, but this was not the case because the Jain tradition recognizes his predecessors and he is considered the 24th Tirthankara.[6] In addition to that, Parshvanatha (23rd tirthankara) is accepted as a historical figure.[7][8][9][10]
Names[edit]
According to Jain texts, Mahavira's childhood name was Vardhamāna ("the one who grows"), because of the increased prosperity in the kingdom at the time of his birth.[11] He was called Mahavira ("the great hero") because of the acts of bravery he performed during his childhood.[12][13][14][15] Mahavira was given the title Jīnā ("the victor or conqueror of inner enemies such as attachment, pride and greed"), which later became synonymous with Tirthankara.[16]
Buddhist texts refer to Mahavira as Nigaṇṭha Jñātaputta.[17] Nigaṇṭha means "without knot, tie, or string" and Jñātaputta (son of Natas), refers to his clan of origin as Jñāta or Naya (Prakrit).[16][18][19] He is also known as Sramana (seeker).[12]
Birth[edit]
See also: Mahavir Jayanti
Belonging to Kashyapa gotra,[12][20] Mahavira was born into the royal Kshatriya family of King Siddhartha and Queen Trishala (sister of King Chetaka of Vaishali)[20] of the Ikshvaku dynasty,[21] on the thirteenth day of the rising moon of Chaitra in the Vira Nirvana Samvat calendar in 599 BC.[22][23][24][25] In the Gregorian calendar, this date falls in March or April and is celebrated as Mahavir Jayanti.[26] Traditionally, Kundalpur in the ancient city of Kashtriya Kund Lachhuar is regarded as his birthplace, in the present-day Sikandra Division of Jamui district, Bihar.[27] According to Jainism, after his birth, anointment and abhisheka (consecration)—carried out by Indra on Mount Meru.[28] Most modern historians agree he was born at Kundagrama, now Basokund in Muzaffarpur district[20] in the state of Bihar, India.[29] Jain traditions date Mahavira as living from 599 B.C. to 527 B.C.[23][30] Western historians date Mahavira as living from 480 BC to 408 BC.[31] Some Western scholars suggest Mahavira died around 425 BC.[32] His height was seven cubits (10.5 feet) as per the description given in Aupapatika Sutra.[33]
Early life[edit]
As the son of a king, Mahavira had all luxuries of life at his disposal. According to the second chapter of the Śvētāmbara text Acharanga Sutra, both his parents were followers of Parshvanatha and lay devotees of Jain ascetics.[10][11] Jain traditions do not agree about his marital state;[b]according to the Digambara tradition, Mahavira's parents wanted him to marry Yashoda but Mahavira refused to marry.[35] According to the Śvētāmbara tradition, he was married to Yashoda at a young age and had one daughter, Priyadarshana.[28][20]
Renunciation[edit]
At the age of thirty, Mahavira abandoned the comforts of royal life and left his home and family to live an ascetic life in the pursuit of spiritual awakening.[4][36] He underwent severe penances, meditated under the Ashoka tree and discarded his clothes.[4][13] There is a graphic description of his hardships and humiliation in the Acharanga Sutra.[37][38]According to Kalpa Sūtra, Mahavira spent forty-two monsoons of his ascetic life at Astikagrama, Champapuri, Prstichampa, Vaishali, Vanijagrama, Nalanda, Mithila, Bhadrika, Alabhika, Panitabhumi, Shravasti and Pawapuri.[39]
Omniscience[edit]
See also: Kevala Jnana and Samavasarana
After twelve years of rigorous penance, at the age of 43, Mahavira achieved the state of Kevala Jnana (omniscience or infinite knowledge) under a Sāla tree according to traditional accounts.[36][40][41] The details of this event are mentioned in Jain texts like Uttar-purāņa and Harivamśa-purāņa.[42] The Acharanga Sutra describes Mahavira as all-seeing. The Sutrakritanga elaborates the concept as all-knowing and provides details of other qualities of Mahavira.[27] Jains believe that Mahavira had the most auspicious body (paramaudārika śarīra) and was free from eighteen imperfections when he attained omniscience.[43]
For thirty years after gaining omniscience, Mahavira travelled throughout in India to teach his philosophy.[36] According to the Jain tradition, Mahavira had 14,000 muni (male ascetics), 36,000 aryika (nuns), 159,000 sravakas (laymen) and 318,000 sravikas (laywomen) as his followers.[44][45] Some of the royal followers included King Srenika (popularly known as Bimbisara) of Magadha, Kunika of Anga and Chetaka of Videha.[39][46] He delivered 55 pravachana and answered 36 unasked questions (Uttaraadhyayana-sutra).[36]
Moksha (Nirvāṇa)[edit]
See also: Moksha (Jainism) and Diwali (Jainism)
.jpg)
Jains believe Mahavira attained moksha (liberation from the cycle of birth and death) at the age of seventy-two and his soul is now resting in Siddhashila (abode of the liberated souls). According to Jain texts, Mahavira attained nirvana (final release) at the town of Pawapuri (now in Bihar).[23][47] On the same day, his chief disciple Gautama Swami attained omniscience. According to the Jinasena's Mahapurana, after the nirvana of Tīrthankaras, heavenly beings perform the funeral rites. According to the Pravachanasara, only the nails and hair of Tirthankaras are left behind; the rest of the body is dissolved in the air like camphor.[48][49] Today, a Jain temple called Jal Mandir stands at the place where Mahavira is believed to have attained moksha.[50]
Previous births[edit]
Mahavira's previous births are discussed in Jain texts such as the Mahapurana and Tri-shashti-shalaka-purusha-charitra. While a soul undergoes countless reincarnations in the transmigratory cycle of saṃsāra (world), the births of a Tirthankara are reckoned from the time he determined the causes of karma and developed the Ratnatraya. Jain texts discuss twenty-six births of Mahavira before his incarnation as a Tirthankara.[39] As per the texts, Mahavira was born as Marichi, the son of Bharata Chakravartin, in one of his previous births.[28]
Teachings[edit]
Main article: Jain philosophy
Jain Agamas[edit]
Main article: Jain Agamas
Mahavira's teachings were compiled by his Ganadhara (chief disciple), Gautama Swami. The sacred canonical scriptures had twelve parts.[51] According to Vijay K. Jain, "These scriptures contained the most comprehensive and accurate description of every branch of learning that one needs to know. The knowledge contained in these scriptures was transmitted orally by the teachers to their disciple saints."[51] According to the Digambaras, Āchārya Bhutabali was the last ascetic who had partial knowledge of the original canon. Later, some learned Āchāryas started to restore, compile and write down the teachings of Mahavira that were the subject matter of Agamas.[52] Āchārya Dharasena, in first century CE, guided two Āchāryas, Āchārya Pushpadant and Āchārya Bhutabali, to write down these teachings. The two Āchāryas wrote on palm leaves, Ṣaṭkhaṅḍāgama—among the oldest known Digambara Jaina texts. Jain Agamas prescribe five major vratas (vows) that both ascetics and householders have to follow.[53] These ethical principles were preached by Mahavira:[36][54]
- Ahimsa (Non-violence or Non-injury). Mahavira taught that every living being has sanctity and dignity of its own and it should be respected just as one expects one's own sanctity and dignity to be respected. Ahimsa is formalised into Jain doctrine as the first and foremost vow. The concept applies to action, speech and thought.[55]
- Satya (Truthfulness)—neither lie, nor speak what is not true, do not encourage others or approve anyone who speaks the untruth.[55]
- Asteya — Non-stealing. Theft is explained as "taking anything that has not been given".[56]
- Brahmacharya (Chastity), abstinence from sensual pleasures for Jain monks, faithfulness to one's partner for Jain householders.[55]
- Aparigraha (Non-attachment)—non-attachment to both inner possessions (liking, disliking) and external possessions like property.
Mahavira's philosophy has eight cardinal (law of trust), three metaphysical (dravya, Jīva and ajiva),[46] and five ethical principles. The objective is to elevate the quality of life.[57]Mahavira said an individual or society should exercise self-restraint to achieve social peace, security and an enlightened society.[58]
Ahiṃsā[edit]
Main article: Ahimsa in Jainism
Mahavira preached that ahimsa (non-injury) is the supreme ethical and moral virtue.[36][59] Mahavira taught that no one likes pain and therefore non-injury must cover all living beings.[60] According to Mahatma Gandhi:
Anekantavada[edit]
Main article: Anekantavada
Another fundamental teaching of Mahavira was Anekantavada (pluralism and multiplicity of viewpoints).[36][64] According to Jain texts, a thing or object of knowledge has infinite characters (i.e., it is anekāntātmaka); each character can be analysed and grasped individually. Each individual character is called a naya.[65] Jains asserts that a naya reveals only a part of the totality, and should not be mistaken for the whole. A synthesis of different viewpoints is said to be achieved by the doctrine of conditional predications (syādvāda) wherein every viewpoint is able to retain its relative importance.[66]
Jaina literature[edit]
Biographies[edit]
- Tiloya-paṇṇatti of Yativṛṣabha discusses almost all of the events connected with the life of Mahavira in a form convenient to memorise.[67]
- Acharya Jinasena's Mahapurāṇa include Ādi purāṇa and Uttara-purāṇa. It was completed by his disciple Acharya Gunabhadra in the 8th century. In Uttara-purāṇa the life of Mahavira is described in three parvans (74–76) in 1818 verses.[68]
- Vardhamacharitra is a Sanskrit kāvya (poem) that describe the life of Mahavira written by Asaga in 853.[69][70][71]
- Kalpa Sūtra is biographies of the Jain Tirthankaras, notably Parshvanatha and Mahavira.
- Samavayanga Sutra is a collection of texts containing Lord Mahavira’s teachings
- Acharanga Sutra describes the penance of Mahavira.
Adoration[edit]
.jpg)
- Svayambhustotra by Acharya Samantabhadra is the adoration of twenty-four Tirthankaras. Its eight shlokas (aphorisms) adore the qualities of Mahavira.[72] One such shloka is:
- Yuktyanusasana by Acharya Samantabhadra is a poetic work consisting of sixty-four verses in praise of Mahavira.[74]
- Mahaveerashtak Stotra is a famous hymn composed by Jain poet Bhagchand.[75]
Influence[edit]
Mahavira's teachings influenced many personalities. Rabindranath Tagore wrote:
A major event is associated with the 2,500th anniversary of the Nirvana of Mahavira in 1974. According to Padmanabh Jaini:[76]
No comments:
Post a Comment