Bhagavan Mahavira : Present Life
By Dr. Hukam Chand Bharill
If the teachings of Bhagavan Mahavira were profound, serious and worthy of acceptance, his present life was equally simple, flat and unostentatious, and diversity had no place in it. His present life was not full of events and any search of his personality in events would be futile. This was so because there was hardly any worldly even which did not occur in his past lives.
Events throw light only on one part of life. To look for life in events is virtually to divide life into parts. The personality of Bhagavan Mahavira is undivided and indivisible; it cannot be divided into parts. To divide his personality into events is virtually to cripple it. In a mirror which is unbroken, the reflection of an object is also large an unbroken, but when the mirror is broken, the reflection becomes many and small, and their meaning gets lost. The personality of Bhagavan Mahavira was a wide as the sky and as deep as the ocean. If this vast personality is linked up with the events of his childhood, it does not get magnified, but loses a lot.
He was a hero, a great hero, a very great hero in the field of religion, not in any battle field. And the two are widely apart. You conquer your enemy in a battle field but what you conquer in a religious field is enmity. In a battle field you win victory over others, in a religious field you win victory over yourself. In a battle field you kill others, but in a religious field you kill you own perversions.
In Mahavira’s heroism, there was no running about, no jostling and jumping, no killing, no lamenting, it was non-ending eternal peace. In his personality, it was not the vastness of treasure but that of knowledge and detachment that was available in abundance.
Although, in brief, the story of his life is only this much that during the first thirty years he spent his life in the midst of affluence and luxury, living apart as the lotus does in the midst of water, during the next twelve years, he was devoted to severe penance’s in the midst of dense forests, and during the next thirty years, he was busy with the formation of the Sarvodaya order and propagation of its message far and wide. But the details of his life as are available in the history and the Puranas may be stated as follows:
About 2572 years from now, in the land of Bharata, there was a prosperous city named Vaisali which was the centre of the Gana-republics. In his travel account, the Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang has described Vaisali to be a beautiful city spread out several miles. The head of the republic was king Cetaka. In that republic, there was a beautiful city named Kundalapura.
Siddhartha who belonged to the Licchavi clan was the ruling monarch in that city. The name of his wife was Trisala. As she was highly beloved of the king. She was also called Priyakarini. In fact, what to speak of the king, she was the beloved of all. She was tender by nature, soft in speech, a very noble hearted lady. She happened to be the eldest daughter of king Cetaka, the head of the confederacy. King Siddhartha enjoyed a dignified place in the confederacy. Of the nine clans which constituted the Licchavi republic, one was the Natha or Jnatri clan. King Siddhartha belonged to this clan of the Ksatriyas.
One night as queen Priyakarini was sleeping in peace in the famous palace Nandyavarta in the city of Kundalapura, she dreamt sixteen very fine dreams which were as follows:
(1) an infatuated elephant, (2) a white bull with high shoulders, (3) a roaring lion, (4) Goddess Laksmi seated on a lotus throne, (5) two fragrant garlands, (6) the moon surrounded by stars, (7) the rising sun, (8) two golden jars covered by lotus leaves, (9) a pair of fish at play in water, (10) a pool of clean water, (11) a sea making aloud roar, (12) a throne studded with gems, (13) a heavenly abode shining with jewels, (14) Dharanendra’s huge palace kissing the sky, (15) a heap of gems and (16) a smokeless fire.
Having performed her morning rites, when queen Trisala narrated the dreams to the king and expressed a desire to know their implication, the king who himself was an expert in astrology became highly delighted. The most auspicious results of the auspicious dreams were clearly printed on his jubilant face. He told her that she would give birth to a great child who would be the founder of the Dharmatirtha, the last Tirthankara, who would reign over the hearts of people in the three worlds. Said he, “To-day your womb has been sanctified in the same manner as it happened to Marudevi when Risabhadeva entered into her womb.”
Continued the king,
“Taking a total view of the dreams, your son will be powerful like an elephant, active like a bull, strong like a lion, upholder of four types of treasures, soft like flowers, cool like the moon, killing darkness like the sun, auspicious like the golden jars, submerged in the ocean of knowledge, calm like the ocean, reigning over the three worlds, a visitor form the 16th heaven, master of extra-sensory knowledge, shining like the pile of gems, and brilliant like the burning flame.”
When she learnt the most auspicious results of the auspicious dreams, the queen was very much delighted. Could there be anyone who would not be delighted to learn of the future advent of a boy with a perfect frame who would be revered in all the three worlds?
On the sixth day of the bright half of Asadha the soul of king Nanda, having thought of sixteen causes and who was destined to be a Tirthankara descended form the sixteenth heaven and entered into the womb of queen Trisala. With the growth of the boy in the mother’s womb increased the wealth, happiness and enthusiasm of the king.
After a happy waiting by the near and dear ones and the members of the royal household, the boy was born on the auspicious thirteenth day of the bright half of Caitra. As in the morning hour, the eastern direction gives birth to the sun, in the same manner, mother Trisala gave birth to a powerful son. Seeing him grow every day, a worthy name which suggested itself for him was Vardhamana.
His birth ceremony was celebrated with great pomp and grandeur not only by the near and dear ones and the members of the royal household but in all the states of the confederacy. On the occasion, Indra and other gods came down at the palace door to celebrate the birth which is called janma-kalyanaka. Indra place the child on his elephant and took him to the Sumeru Mountain. There he was seated on a Panduka slab and anointed with water fetched form the Ksira Ocean, of which an elaborated description is available in the Jaina Puranas.
The boy Vardhamana was by birth healthy and graceful and had an attractive personality. As he grew up like the moon from the second day of the bright half of the month, he proved the worth of his name as Vardhamana. The golden tinge of his body which brightened the environment use to attract everybody. To drink at his beauty, Indra, the king of the gods, took a thousand eyes.
He had the knowledge of the self, he was considerate, with a developed conscience and fearless. He had never learnt to be afraid. He was the very embodiment of bravery. So from his childhood, he was called Vira, Ativira, a hero, a great hero. Since he had the knowledge of the self, he was also called Sanmati. Famous were his five names, which are as follow:
Vira, Ativira, Mahavira, Sanmati and Vardhamana.
Once an elephant got infuriated and having broken the post ot which he was tied, he started creating havoc in the whole city. The city was in turmoil and people started running amock. The roar of the elephant thundered at the sky. Even the most highly trained elephant drivers failed to capture his and bring him under control. Even the great heroes were unable to restrain him. So it was apparent that if he could not be checked soon, there would be a great loss of life and prosperity. But by his words and physical strength, prince Vardhamana soon tamed him and removed his fury. This surprised everybody. They said “Your bravery is praiseworthy.”
With a grave posture, Vardhamana looked at them and addressed them as follow: “Where is the heroism in winning over helpless creature. The greatest heroism lies in winning the self. The conquest of self is another name for the conquest of delusion, attachment, greed, etc., This soul has conquered many on innumerable occasions but it has never conquered itself. In knowing and conquering others, the soul has wasted and infinite number of lives, and in consequence gone deeper and deeper in misery. Had it known itself but once, conquered itself but once, it would have been full of knowledge and bliss. It would have cut asunder rebirths and become a Bhagavan. What is the heroism in taming an elephant? Had it really be an act of heroism, then every elephant-driver would be considered to be a hero, for, they always keep the elephant under control. It is not a great thing to control others; to control the self is the highest heroism. One who has controlled self has realised himself.”
The elderly members of the government could not be out amazed not only at the bravery of the prince, but also at the maturity of his thoughts.
He had a ready wit and never lost his balance even in difficult situations. His heroism, fearlessness and patience were even maters of discussion by the gods. So once a god Sangama by name decided to test Vardhamana. One day when is a playing mood, the boy Vardhamana, who was a delight to his parents, relations and members of the royal household, while playing with other boys, climbed on a tree, the said god Sangama took the form of a cobra and coiled the trunk of the tree. The cobra who was the very personification of death was hissing severely which spread terror all around and everywhere there was dreadful silence. When he saw the boy undaunted and fearless descending towards him, even the terrible cobra lost its anger. He came out I his original form and started praising his patience and fearlessness in the following words: “Indeed, you are really a hero, nay, a great hero. Your heroism is beyond description.”
Vardhamana smiled and said, “Wherein lies the heroism in this? Does heroism consist in remaining undaunted at the sight of a snake? Is it now the only test of heroism in the world? If the answer is in the affirmative, then all the snake-charmers are great heroes. And did you come to hold a test of me? And now you are offering me a certificate. But when did I need a certificate from you? Will bravery roll down in future through certificates? If you desire to hold a test, test yourself, examine yourself, but why examine others? Every one is anxious to test others, to know others but the nature of the soul is to throw light on self. Know yourself first and then you will know others.”
The god Sangama was just sweating on hearing the logical, inspiring and serious words of the boy and began to praise him profusely.
The courage and patience of the boy was discussed all over the city. People now started calling him a Viraa, Ativira and Mahavira.
The prince was a brilliant boy. He could resolve most difficult of the problems in a moment. Vardhamana who was fond of philosophical discussions use to make his companions swallow them while they were in the midst of an ordinary conversation.
Once he was seated at the fourth floor of the palace in a very thoughtful mood. Some friends of his childhood days came to see him and enquired of mother Trisala where Vardhamana was. She said, “He is upstairs.” All the boys ran up at top speed and reached the seventh floor but Vardhamana was not there. There they asked king Siddhartha who was in his studies where Vardhamana was. The king said, “He is downstairs.” On hearing the opposite words of the parents, the boys were in a confusion. Then they started searching at each floor and discovered him at the fourth floor seated in a pensive mood. Accusing him, the boys said, “You are seated here in hiding in a pensive mood like a philosopher and we have been looking for you all over the seven floors.” “Why didn’t you ask my mother?”, said Vardhamana readily. Said the friends, “Our asking became a source of greater confusion. The mother said that he is upstairs and father said that he is downstairs.” Said Vardhamana, “Both are correct. Being at the forth floor, I am upstairs as told by my mother and downstairs as told my father. For my mother is at the first floor and my father at the seventh. Don’t you understand this? Up or down is a relative position. When relativity is not there, the whole question of being up or down loses significance. Although each object is independent of ‘others’, when it is spoken of, it is relative.” In this way, young Mahavira explained in an intelligible way some of the philosophical riddles to his fellow companions.
He was gently by nature, but when he entered his youth, his seriousness increased. He preferred to live in solitude in a pensive mood and think of deeper things. When he accepted anything, he did so only after a thorough argument and re3alisation. When intellectuals came to him to discuss things they were not clear about, he solved their difficulty through ordinary conversation and they went convinced. The difficulties of many people were resolved even on seeing his impressive figure. This happened to many monks and group leaders. In fact, he did not resolve the difficulties, but was himself the solution.
Once the difficulties of two Carana monks who were pretty advanced got resolved at his very sight and they addressed this prodigy as Sanmati.
When his friends discussed this matter with Vardhamana, he said, “One’s own soul is the giver of all solutions because the soul by its nature is all knowledge. To see others or to talk with them is only an instrument. As the monks set their eyes on me, they found the solution within themselves, their seeing me was a mere instrument. Had they got the solution by taking with me, then the conversation would be the instrument. Knowledge arises from within, and never from and outside object.”
Continued he,
“Another thing, if I am a Sanmati, it is because of my intellect which is right, because I can correctly interpret the fundamentals, not because I resolved the difficulties of the two monks. If on seeing a material object some one acquires knowledge, will you call that material object a Sanmati? A material object may be an instrument of knowledge, and very often so. The spectacles are a material object, but they are helpful to vision. Well, the five objective sense are inanimate and so is speech, because speech is a category of matter (pudgala), and books consist of paper and ink, all these are considered to be the instruments of knowledge, but does that mean that all of them are Sanmati. I am a Sanmati because of my right knowledge, not because I am instrumental in resolving the difficulty of some people. And what the monks had said is also correct, but it is an attribution which is particularly used in a expression of devotion, or even in addressing some one. But we must understand what is what,- and we must take it in a right spirit.”
The fellow princes were deeply impressed by the logical and polite words of Vardhamana. Likewise the other four names conferred on him from time to time were honorific titles, but he had no interest in them, nor had he accepted them, but does and affectionate world pay any heed to these? People were addressing him by different names.
Prince Vardhamana was graceful by birth with proportionate limbs in a well-balanced body but as he completed his adolescence and entered into youth, each and every limb became remarkable in beauty. The story of his superhuman beauty, strength, valour, heroism, intellect and conscience was widely discussed all over the country.
Being impressed by his superhuman grace and valour many a king approached king Siddhartha with a request to wed their daughters, more beautiful than the nymphs, with prince Vardhamna but the latter was not at all inclined to agree. Even the parents made pressing request for his marriage but he was decided to conquer his senses. Many efforts were made to tie him in the household, but he was already determined with the help of his soul which by its nature is free to be rid of all the worldly ties.
The world tries to win over him, but he was already won by the soul and so all the efforts of the world failed. The Call of Youth cast snares at him, but they went in vain. The affection of the parents tried to prevent him but even the torrents of the mother’s tears could not sweep him away. Who can find one who has cut the tie of attachment? Relations and household people tried to dissuade him, but he had no more attachment for the home.
When his parents, relations and members of the household came to know of this, they made many efforts to dissuade him, but the tie of his attachment was wholly gone without which no one could be tied to the household. His detachment had not been inspired by any outside agency, it was inherent and instinctive, because it came from within. So it was not possible to stop him, and there was no reason for it.
He did not intend to become a monk to imitate others. In fact, he did not intend to become a monk at all, but monk-hood had come to him. His mind did not wake up to make him a worldly creature, but it woke for self realisation. He did not suppress him desires to be in keeping with time and place. In fact, he did not want to repress them at all, but they had already faded.
It is futile to look for the cause of his becoming a monk in the then situation. His detachment was independent of nay external factor. A detachment which depends on the external factor comes to an end as the external factor change.
Having knowing his determination, the Lokantika gods arrived and congratulated him, paid him homage and expressed their devotion. The whole arrangement of his initiation into monk-hood (diksa-kalyanaka) was arranged by no less a person than Indra, the king of the gods.
The theme of this great occasion is exceedingly interesting. Though highly auspicious, this great exit became the cause of the greatest pain to his near and dear ones on account of their deep attachment. There was a sharp cleavage between gods and men, as to who would lift his palanquin. But interestingly the victory was on the side of men, though the gods were gifted with a divine power. For, in this case, the competition was not between physical strength, but between soul force of the two. Those who would be initiated with the master were the most competent to lift his palanquin. The gods had failed, and so did Indra, and they could easily see the insignificance of the life of a god compared to that of human being. But what could be done? The palanquin was first lifted by men, and then by the gods.
Thus while in the prime of youth, he was initiated by himself as a nude monk on the tenth day of the dark half of Margasirsa. As all his attachment and greed were already gone, he had no more attachment for things which were still on his person. So in full senses, he discarded his clothes and ornaments, and became a monk.
In becoming a monk, one change robes to attain monk-hood, but in his case, he already attained it. He adopted the most natural posture which he was at the time of birth. The rest dropped.
Monk Mahavira lift the city and entered into the forest. But it would be wrong to suggest that he exchanged a sylvan life for an urban life. in fact, he did none. What he did was that he went within himself.
A person with attachment, even if he goes to a forest, will build a hut, will run a household. Whatever it may be made of, a house is house and wherever it is, a house is nothing else than a house. A house never parts company from one who is under the clutches of attachment.
Now he applied full restraint on the tongue and did not speak. Words link one with others, but he was not covetous of such a link. Words convey thoughts. They are an instrument in the exchange of ideas. Words help understanding, they help to explain. But he had not to understand beyond what he had understood, and he merged deep into it. He had nothing to explain so then where was the utility of words? He had the faculty of speech, but he had no need of it. For all the while, he was immersed within.
He gave up his bath and did not clean his mouth. Being alike to friend and foe, he took shelter in the mountain caves. Friends and foes are a product of attachment. When attachment had ended, there was no question of there being a friend or a foe. Monk Vardhamana was perfectly detached. It was perfectly immaterial for him if somebody was favourably disposed towards him or its reverse. He was perfectly unconcerned about the world.
A favourable or an adverse natural situation did not cause him any pleasure or pain. He was never perturbed by the excesses of summer, winter or rains. Even scenic beauties did not attract him; for his mind was wholly plugged against them. Nor could natural calamities disturb him, because he had full conquered fear.
Many a wild animal gave up its ferociousness at the sight of his tranquil stature, natural simplicity, a harm-free life and humility. Wherever he went, the environment turned into a peaceful one.
If at times the question of the intake of food came up, he would thing of imposing some difficult conditions for acceptance before he entered into a nearby city. If some sravaka (follower of the Jaina path, strictly ‘listener’) could perchance fulfil the conditions and offered him pure food with nine-fold devotion, he would stop in full humility and with meticulous care, accept the food and take it and thereafter soon return to the forest. After initiation, he took food for the first time in a city named Kulagram from the hands of king Kula. Once he accepted good from the hands of a pious lady Candanbala who was at that time in great distress.
Candanbala was the youngest daughter of king Cetaka. While at play in the palace garden, youthful Candanbala was stolen by a wicked Vidyadhara but on the instant return of his wife, the coward Vidyadhara discarded her in a forest. There a Bhila (tribal) caught her and sold her to a merchant named Brisabhadatta. The name of the merchant’s wife was Subhadra, when she saw this girl in her home, she was somewhat alarmed at the thought that her husband might have fallen a prey to the dame’s beauty. Though of the age of her daughter, she looked on her as a co-wife. So she started becoming rude to her and her rudeness went on increasing.
Subhadra tied her with a chain and offered her the worst food in the household (Kudai rice mixed with a fermented stuff) in an earthen pot. Taking it to be a misfortune which had come upon her, she was spending her days with perfect calm. And in fact under the situation, this was all she could do.
One day monk Vardhamana came to the city of Kausambi where Candana was to search for food as per his conditions. He was passing by the house where Candana lived like a prisoner. This was lucky turn of her fortune. When she saw the monk, she was thrilled. She ran out to the monk to pay him her homage and obeisance. She did not feel even for a moment that she was in chains. As she ran towards the monk, lo, behold, what did happen? People saw to their surprise that the chains with which she was held captive had broken down, and she was free. Her tonsured head had now and overgrowth of hairs. As the people were busy witnessing the magic, Candana was paying her homage and obeisance and begging for the acceptance of her offer of food. She did not think for a moment what she had to offer is only the Kudai rice.
The monk accepted the offer of food, took it and turned his steps towards the forest. The homage paid by her was a grand success. Candana was now free. At a later date, Candana found shelter in Mahavira’s order of monks to be the head of the nuns.
People talked loudly of the great power of the monk and of good luck of Candana. Everywhere on that day in cottages and on the highways, this was the only topic of discussion. Someone was saying, “A bondage is a bondage so long feels it. Thought outwardly the soul is in bondage inwardly it is free. From and infinite time, people have forgotten about the freedom of the soul, while they harp on its bondage. Thus people are tied by their feeling which is worse than the material bondage. If this bondage of feeling goes and if one feels that he is free, them even external bondage goes. The feeling of bondage, the remembrance of bondage, the thought of bondage makes one mean, lowly, their reverse makes one vigorous and powerful, and when one is conscious of his vigour, where does bondage stand? The forgetfulness of Candana about her bondage became the cause of her liberation.”
A second one said, “How is it possible to deny bondage when it is very much there and to say that one is free?” Said a third on, “It is possible. It is possible to declare oneself free. Looked at objectively, things are also like that. The bondage is at the surface, inside the whole thing is free by nature. There is no bondage in nature, and once this is admitted, the bondage on the categories start to drop. The deepest feeling of freedom is possible in the midst of bondage because the being inside is free, and the freedom of this internal being is capable to cut the bondage of category.”
In the course of his wanderings monk Vardhamana reached Ujjaini. There he assumed pratima-yoga and went into a trance in a cremation ground called Atimuktaka. Sthanurudra who was and exceedingly wicked fellow started creating great disturbance. By dint of his power, he assumed fierce forms and made a futile efforts to disturb him. He started launching disturbances which are the habit of fierce animals, Bhilas and demons. But in the monk’s perseverance, Sthanurudra witnessed the real heroism. He realised that heroism was freedom from fear and a state of firmness. Heroism was not a category of violence, but non-violence itself. His disturbances could not over whelm the monk.
In the case of the indifferent monks who are dedicated to the realisation of they self never experience favourable-adverse situations, because their thoughts are turned inward. Even if such situations arise, they leave no mark on them beyond being recorded in their knowledge. It happens like that because they live on by knowing and seeing the destiny of self and of other. When Sthanurudra saw the severe penance of the monk, when he saw his un-perturbed frame in the midst of severe disturbances and his posture of detachment, he felt himself to be small. With fear and surprise, he expressed regret and started singing in praise of the monk.
Even this change in Sthanurudra made no impact on Mahavira. He was absorbed within. He was fully minding his own business, as Sthanurudra was busy with his own.
In this manner, the monk was steadily progressing on the road to detachment. In practising penance, both internal and external, he had spent twelve years. one day at the age of 42, he came to a forest named Manohara on the bank of the river Rijukula near the village Jrimbhika. There beneath a Sala tree, on a shining slab of stone, he assumed pratima-yoga and sat down in a trance it was evening on the tenth day of the bright half of Vaisakha. The moon shone between the tow stars named Hasta and Uttara. With the help of his soul, he experienced the purest states. By dint of a great vigour he rose to apratipati ksapakasreni and entered into pure meditation. With the deepest of concentration on the self, he erased the remnants of his attachment and became fully detached. No sooner did he attain the stage of detachment than he had the realisation of the supreme knowledge, kevalajnana.
Now he became wholly detached, all-knowing, a Bhagavan. He became a great hero, Mahavira by dint of his victory over delusion, attachment and greed. Right then, a great virtue named Tirthankara came up and he became a Tirthankara.
Saudharmendra saw at once that Tirthankara Mahavira had come to acquire the supreme knowledge. At once he came down and performed the kalyanaka ceremony befitting the occasion. He ordered Kuvera to erect a congregation hall where the Tirthankara could deliver his first sermon. The congregation hall of a Tirthankara is called samavasarana.
On receiving the order from Indra, Kuvera exhausted all his resources and skill in the construction of the congregation hall. He erected a circular platform on which the Tirthankara’s congregation all are seated alike, a king or a pauper, a well-to-do or a humble and it is open to all. Thus even animals, birds and beasts take their seat along with monks and nuns, men followers and women followers, even gods and goddess. Such a motley audience is difficult to find on any other occasion.
The organisation of a Tirthankara’s is the most amazing thing, the more so when the speaker is no less a person than Tirthankara and its organiser is Indra himself. Words are not enough to described this. But still the Jaina texts contain an elaborate description of the occasion, and interested readers may refer to them.
All the districts on the two banks of Rijukula got the notification of the coming event with the beating of the heavenly drums. A huge crowd of people assembled to hear the divine vice of the Tirthankara. The hall was full but the Tirthankara did not speak a word. When the scheduled time was up, the disappointed people departed. They had, however, seen the Tirthankara, though they could not hear his words.
All this was not over in a day; it was repeated for several days. People assembled day after day, but the divine voice did not come out. After a few days, Bhagavan Mahavira moved out from that place. The people of that place remained instated. They could not benefit form the divine sermon.
No sooner did the Tirthankara move out than the congregation here came to and end; but where he next stopped, a similar congregation came up. People came, saw the Tirthankara but did not her his words. This went on repeating form place to place, till, in the course of his wanderings, he reached a mountain named Vipula near Rajagriha. Here also a vast congregation was held, a vast audience assembled, but the silence did not end. Thus 65 days were over. Along with the other members of the audience, the patience of the principle organiser Indra too was exhausted. Although he was pretty certain that the Tirthankara would speak out at the right moment, but a time-span of 65 days was pretty long and this made him somewhat anxious so he applied his extra-sensory knowledge at once to resolve the mystery. He could see that in the assembly there was not a single person who was fit enough to be his principal disciple, called Gangadhara. So he extended the boundary of his knowledge to find such person and his vision fell on Indrabhuti who happened to be a great scholar, and there it became fixed.
Indrabhuti was a great Vedic scholar. He had 500 disciples. When Indra realised that Indrabhuti was the right person to receive the divine words and to be his leading disciple, he guise himself as an old Brahmin and reached the hermitage of Indrabhuti.
Indra produced two couplets and appearing before Indrabhuti in the guise of a disciple of Mahavira, he requested him to explain the couplets which were as follows:
traikalyam dravyaastkam navapada sahitam jivasatkaya lesyah,
pancanye castikaya vratasamitigatirjanacaritrabhedah,
ityetanmoksamulam tribhuvanamahitaih proktamarhadbhirisaih,
pratyeti sraddadhati sprsati ca matiman yah sa vai suddhadrstih.
On hearing these couplets, Indrabhuti, who was not conversant with the Arhat (Jina) way was full of thought. Three time-periods, six-objects, nine fundamentals, six types of beings, six tinges, five astikayas (things that be), vows, disciplines, ex-listences, knowledge, conduct - what was these? What were their etymological implications, their difference? Indrabhuti did not know these. A literal rendering would not serve the purpose. In case the man asked what these were, what were three time-periods, six objects, etc. what reply would he give? And yet he hesitated to confess total ignorance.
Indra could read the ups and downs in his thoughts. Touching his weakest chord, he said, “Shall I have to go away in disappointment form the doors of the great scholar Indrabhuti?”
This was a direct challenge to Indrabhuti’s pride, but collecting himself somehow he said, “I shall discuss these with your Guru. Let us go to him. Where is he?” So they started, the old Brahmin leading, followed by Indrabhuti Gautama and his 500 disciples.
The time for Indrabhuti’s attaining the right path was now near. And the time for Bhagavan Mahavira’s uttering the divine words was also ripe. As he reached the proximity of the congregation hall, the hardness of his thought was replaced by tenderness. As he looked at the pillar of pride at the gate of the hall, his pride melted away and his dark patches (tamah) were gone. He reached the hall in all humility, witnessed its pomp and grandeur and then saw inside seated the Tirthankara, Bhagavan Mahavira. He went on gazing at him without a break, and yet his eyes had no satiation. Bhagavan Mahavira was seated in the vacuum, separated from the throne by a gap of two inches (four fingers). His calm and tranquil posture clearly reflected his inner state which was beyond any disturbance.
As Bhagavan Mahavira sat wholly immersed in self, perhaps this posture might have suggested to Indrabhuti Gautama something like this; “Well, if you need bliss beyond the senses, and beatitude, why stare at me? Stare at thyself. You yourself are a great soul (Paramatman) made of infinite knowledge and infinite bliss. Till now, you have been busy in looking for these in others, so that you have never thought of turning to thy own self. But now why look at me? Look at thyself. One’s own soul is the only object worth knowing, worth seeing. Now, what this soul is cannot be explained. It cannot be expressed in words. This object, the soul, which is worth knowing, the only object worthy of knowledge, it can only be felt. This soul which is worth feeling about is all knowledge and bliss. So you take away your vision from all external objects, from their nature as also from disturbances in the soul, and fix this vision straight on thy soul. Do it ! Do it !
on receipt of this implicit inspiration, Indrabhuti Gautama also turned in ward, and when he came out, there was an unusual peace printed on his face. Today he had realised something which he had never realised in the past. He had just now felt the soul and tested the bliss which is beyond the sense organs. He had a thrill all over the body. Now he was keen to live in that state of bliss for the greater part of the time. So in the presence of the Master he got initiated, and by dint of his great vigour he acquired upto the fourth type of knowledge, viz., knowledge of the psychology of others.
He was internally overwhelmed because of the infinite gain he had from Bhagavan Mahavira. It was through his favour that he had known the right path which terminate the cycle of birth and death. In his heart, he felt a great devotion for the Master and started singing hymn in praise of him which was as follow:
“Oh Holder of joy beyond sense organs and Master of knowledge! Oh Master of supreme detachment; Your personality is as vast as tee sky and as deep as the ocean. Oh Tirthankara Bhagavan Mahavira! Noble you are!
“Oh Indra among the Jinas! Your greatness does not consist in external grandeur. In fact, you don’t have it. You rejected it wholesale at the time of initiation. Your greatness lies in your eternal treasure.
“Your magnanimity cannot be measured by this congregation or any other show, and you are great not because many mighty emperors, gods, even Indra touch your feet with their forehead. I do not consider you great because you can fly through the sky or you can maintain your body without the intake of food. Such amazing excesses are based on virtue and could be found even in others.
“You are great because of your internal treasure, that treasure consists of omniscience and supreme detachment, - no friend, no foe; equal treatment to all. You internal treasure consists of your unqualified knowledge of all things in the universe including the sky over non-universe, their incessant transformation, what they are, what they are going to be, - all these you clearly know as you know a berry on the palm of you hand, free any other authority, only knowing, knowledge for the sake of knowledge, that is your real treasure.
“Oh Lord! I have been impressed by your omniscience and detachment. To know these is to know you. Those with attachment are known form their households, their parents, their children. Oh Jinesvara; you have nothing to do with these. I am lucky to have seen you. My human life has been useful. What I wanted to get out of it I have got. I have not only obtained you, Oh Master, I have obtained myself.
“Oh Lord! Only those who know you treasure and recognise it know you; the rest are mere onlookers. The king comes and he is followed by his retinue. They are overwhelmed by the external grandeur, they bow their head, they pray for worldly things, they consider you to be a donor of worldly objects, and overwhelmed with devotion they describe you to be the donor of worldly objects, of treasures external, a great master.
“Oh Bhagavan! They are not your real devotees; they are the devotees of worldly pleasures. To them, worldly pleasures are everything, their God. They bow not only to you but to anyone who can gratify their hankering.
“Oh Lord! How very amazing it is that the worldly pleasures of which you denied yourself they are running mad after them, they consider them to be useful and they are begging for them, and looking upon you as their donor. Oh Lord! Infinite is the importance of your unlimited knowledge, but equally infinite is the ignorance of the ignoramus. How else could they behave like this”
“Oh Lord! Anyone who knows and recognises your omniscience and detachment also knows and recognises himself, and his delusion (falsehood) wholly goes. With his personality turned inward he can gradually end the delusion which enshrouds his conduct and over a period of time he himself acquires detachment. His delusion, attachment, greed go out in totality. He comes to know the universe, as well as the non-universe, he himself becomes omniscient and detached.”
“Oh Lord! One who has acquired detachment and omniscience in his knowledge after the exhaustion and tranquillisation, over time he masters full detachment and omniscience. The knowledge of the omniscience is indeed infinitely important, but one who has acquired in his knowledge the tint of omniscience, even his knowledge is by no means less important, because that is the seed of omniscience. For, in the absence of a faith in omniscience, omniscience does not blossom in the category.
“Oh Lord! People call you by diverse names, but all of them really fall short of thy greatness, they cannot contain thy great personality.
“Oh Bhagavan! We call you Vardhamana, but Vardhamana is one who is still growing. But you have attained full growth. So there is no question of your growing any further.
“Likewise you are called Sanmati, but being omniscient, you are devoid of perceptual mati knowledge. Then how can you be called Sanmati? Right and wrong perceptions are the types of perception. Likewise with the names Vira, Ativira and Mahavira But, oh Lord, even these cannot contain your superhuman personality. There is no word in human vocabulary which can cover your superhuman personality. And this is right. Has there ever been a jar to contain the ocean? Your personality which is as great as the ocean cannot be put inside the jar of vocabulary.
“Oh Lord! You were named at a time when you were neither detached nor omniscient. A dress tailored for a boy of 5 is of no use when he is 25; in the same manner, the names given to you when you were a child with little knowledge cannot adequately described your great personality now with detachment and omniscience.
“Not only that the aforesaid names are not adequate to describe your infinite greatness, I too do not possess a word which may adequately describe you. Your greatness is beyond words. It may be known but cannot be expressed.
“Oh Lord! Some people say that omniscience and detachment are impossible to acquire. Then how can you have detachment and omniscience? Without total omniscience how can there be the omniscience of categories? Oh Jinendra ! Detachment and omniscience are not impossible states, for vice (like attachment) and covers (like enshrouding of knowledge) wax and wane, and anything that waxes and wanes may some day end. This has happened to you, so that you are now fully detached and omniscient.
“Oh Jinendra ! Minute objects, objects near and objects at a distance can surely be known by some sort of direct knowledge, for they can be known from inference. And anything which can be inferred may be known by direct knowledge. So omniscience is not impossible.
“Oh Lord ! That omniscience has taken shape in you. All are anxiously waiting to receive the nectar-like shower of your words, in the same manner as the farmers wait for a rainfall after a dry Asadha. Now time has come for you to speak, and everyone expects it, so that people may understand the fundamentals and derive immense good for themselves from your words, unobstructed by sense perception and unambiguous.”
The most pleasant surprise, however, was that as Indrabhuti Gautama was busy singing in praise, the divine words began to flow from the lips of the Lord. The Omkara sound was spreading out and the nature of the soul was getting revealed by that. It was virtually a shower nectar. The members of the audience were soaked in the joy. It was the first day of the dark half of. Sravana, the day on which the sermon by the Lord commenced. That day is celebrated all over the country as the Vira Sasana Day upto this time.
Alongwith Indrabhuti Gautama, his disciples also joined the order of Mahavira.
The desire of Indra was fulfilled. The long expected divine words of the Lord had been tasted by everybody. As the greenery in the month of Sravana imparts joy to everybody, so did the divine words of the Lord. All were especially grateful to Gautama and gossip was afloat that the divine words had emerged only after his auspicious entry. Even Indra was grateful to him. In singing in praise of him, said he, “My master! Because of your auspicious grace people got the chance of receiving the divine words.”
Said Gautama, “Oh king of the gods! You are exaggerating. What grace could I shower? Rather, grace has been showered on this humble fellow from the Lord. Anything happens as per destiny on the arrival of the appropriate time, and at that time necessary endeavour is speak till my coming and that his words came out after my arrival-this is said in usage but the truism is that the moment had at last arrived for the Lord to speak and for me to come on the right track which in fact coincided.
Taking his query a little further, Indra said, “How it is so.”
Said the Ganadhara, “Before Bhagavan Mahavira, from the fist Tirthankara Risabhadeva till Parsva, for all the 23 Trithankaras, there was hardly any time gap between their omniscience and their divine voice coming out, but in the case of Mahavira, he attained omniscience on the 10th day of the second half of Baisakha, and his divine voice came out on the first day of the first half of Sravana, a gap of 66 days, which was some what unprecedented. When the cause was looked into, it was found that on the surface of it, three events, viz., my coming, the commencement of the divine voice and my appointment as a Gandhar, took place more or less about the same time. So outwardly they were clinked, and it is being said like that.”
Said Indra, “Do you then think that to say like this is a false statement?”
Said the Ganadhara, “Who says it is a false statement? Relative to the cause people say like that but cause does not give rise to the action. Whatever happens to a thing is inherent in it and it fructifies itself. So to say that someone else is the cause is nothing but a mare usuge.”
On this event, Acarya Virasena writes in the Jaidhabala commentary of Kasaya Pahuda in part as follows:
Question-Why for 66 days after the attainment of omniscience did the divine voice not come forth?
Answer-It was because there was no Ganadhara during this period.
Question- Why didn’t Saudharmendra bring forth a Ganadhara immediately on the attainment of omniscience?
Answer- Because he was unable to bring forth one till the arrival of an appropriate time. In fact, during this period, he did not have the faculty to do so.
Question- How is it that the divine voice comes out only on the appearance of one who has accepted the ‘five Great Vows’ at his feet, and not on the appearance of anyone else?
Answer- Such is the nature and nature cannot be questioned by others. There will be chaos if the nature is questioned.
After this, due to the good luck of people at large. Bhagavan Mahavira wondered over Kasi, Kasmir, Kuru, Magadha, Kosala, Kamarupa, Kaccha, Kalinga, Kurujungala, Kiskindha, Malladesa, Pancala, Kerala, Bhadra, Cedi, Dasarna, Benga, Anga, Andhra, Kusinagara, Malaya, Vidarbha, Gauda and many other places.
In this manner, Tirthankara Bhagavan Mahavira went on wondering and delivering sermons all over India for about 30 years. As many of these wanderings took place in a certain region, it has come to be called Bihar, which is a State in the Indian Union. Quite a few cities in this region took their name from him. The districts of Vardhamana and Birbhum in West Bengal are also name after him. The town of Singhabhumi is name after his emblem.
Wherever he went, he delivered his sermons thrice-morning, midday and evening, for six hours at a time. Just as with sunrise the darkness of the night goes, in the same manner, the perversions and darkness of ignorance began to disappear by his divine sermons.
Wherever he went and spoke, everybody, form the king to the commoner, was inspired, and thousands became his admirer or followers. Thousands acquired right knowledge everyday and hundreds accepted the vows so that the whole environment was charged with spirituality.
On account of the influence of his sermons, the whole country. Acquired a non-violent environment. Violence, pomp, guru-dom and devilry were wiped out. Although he spoke on the serious things and explained their significance, yet everybody heard his words in his own language. His sermons were called the divine voice.
The divine voice while announcing the inherent independence also propagated a path of self-reliance in a categories for acquiring full independence. Self-reliance means of concentration on one’s pure soul as distinguished form others. Independence can be acquired only through one’s own efforts. Eternal bliss and independence cannot be a gifted, nor can these be acquired with anther’s strength.
What came out in the words of Bhagavan Mahavira was no new truth. Truth is truth, it cannot be old or new. What was said was permanent, eternally true. He did not create truth, but simply revealed it.
The truths which hold in the three time periods and which were now revealed, and the Sarvodaya Tirtha which was born in his words are the subject matter of the second part of this book. They may be summarised as follows:
Each soul is independent, and not under any other.
All souls are equal, none being higher or lower.
Each soul has in it infinite knowledge and bliss. Happiness does not come form outside.
Not only soul, but each object is subject to transformation, and there is not, and cannot be, any interference in this process.
Each soul is unhappy due to its own mistake and may be happy on rectifying the mistake.
The greatest mistake lies in not knowing one’s own self, and to know one’s own true nature is the rectification of that mistake,
God is not a separate entity, through right effort every soul may become a God.
Know thyself, recognise thyself, penetrate into thyself and be a God
God is not the creator-protector of the universe. He only knows and see the whole universe.
He who after knowing the entire universe may remain detached or who without being involved into it knows the universe is a God.
Besides Indrabhuti Gautama, he had other Ganadharas whose name are as follows:
1. Agnibhuti, 2. Vayubhuti, 3.Sucidatta, 4. Sudharma, 5. Manuvya, 6. Mauryputra, 7. Akampana, 8. Acala, 9. Medarya, 10. Prayasa.
Among the sravaka followers, the most important was Emperor Srenika Bimbisara of Magadha. Among his active followers, there were 14,000 monks, 36,000 nuns, 100,000 male sravakas and 300,000 female sravikas. The number of devotees and admirers into the final liberation, nirvana.
In the end, while wandering form place to place, Bhagavan Mahavira arrived at Pava. There he stopped any further wandering and sermonising ended all activities of body, mind and speech, reached the highest state of pure (white) meditation, exhausted all karma bondage’s including the four which stick till the final moment, fully discarded his mortal frame and entered into the final liberation, nirvana.
This event took place just two thousand five hundred years ago. It was the last day of the dark half of the month of Kartika, and the night was patchy dark. The morning was soon to start. Even before the rays of the morning sun could brighten the hill tops Lord Mahavira went into liberation.
On receiving the news of his liberation, the gods came down to perform the last ceremony. The city of Pava became illuminated with lights. When black she-cobra bites some one and turns upside down, its white colour on the other side comes up and dark colour on the surface goes down, in the same manner, it appeared that the dark night which took away the Lord from our midst turned upside down so that its brightness on the other side had come up.
Difficult to say whether the festival of light (dipavali) should be called a festival of light or darkness, since it took away our Lord form us. But since he had entered into liberation, the people were happy in the midst of a bereavement. All were in that state which comes to a mother when a dear daughter follows a worthy groom. This is because which was sanctified by grief with joy and joy with grief is difficult to describe in words.
On the morning Bhagavan Mahavira entered into liberation, his leading most disciple Indrabhuti Gautama acquired the supreme knowledge (kevalajnana) in the evening. This doubly increased the importance of the day. The people who were in grief at the loss of Bhagavan Mahavira derived some consolation from omniscient Gautama. Their sorrow was somewhat softened.
The festival of light is celebrated partly for Bhagavan Mahavira having entered into liberation and partly for the acquisition of supreme knowledge by Gautama. A new era started from this day which is called Nirvana Samvat, which is in vogue among the jainas.
So we see that in the present life of Bhagavan Mahavira there are not as many ups and downs and varieties as he had in his previous lives. What is most remarkable in his present life is a steady spiritual ascent. From his very infancy, we find enlightened Vardhamana to be serious and concentrated in self. He had no interest in the affairs of the state and other worldly matters. Cut off from the external world, he was fully living in the internal world. He had no attachment for wealth nor did he hanker after worldly pleasures.
Although he lived in the household for thirty years, really he was not living in it. The household could never attract him. He had attained the youth, but he was never overpowered by it, nor had he any urge for it. Since the youth had no attraction for him, he could move out at thirty, he became detached, entered into the forest and became wholly mute. He went never to return, he became mute not to talk till the attainment of the goal.
When he was securely established in detachment and omniscience, his words started flowing, And once started, it went on flowing for thirty like the Ganga flowing out from the Himalayas. He drowned Ganadhara Gautama and many others in it till he himself entered into bliss and attained be attitude.
For the benefit of humanity, his words have become a Tirtha. Not only did he himself cross through the worldly ocean, his words have remained as a beacon light for millions of others to cross it. His Tirthankarahood became worthwhile because of his propagation of the Sarvodaya Tirtha for the upliftment of all.
When he went out, even the dark night of the last day of the dark half of Kartika became bright, and for the past 2500 years, the same night becomes bright every year, since lights are lit on that night. The great occasion has been christened as Dipavali, the Festival of Light. Deepawali is an occasion of brightness in the midst of darkness.
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Source : 'Tirthankar Mahavir & His Sarvodaya Tirtha'
Published By : Pandit Todarmal Smarak Trust, Bapunagar, Jaipur
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Mail to : Ahimsa Foundation
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