Dirgh Tapasvi Mahavir

Here is a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Dirgh Tapasvi Mahavir" by Sukhlal Sanghavi, focusing on the life and teachings of Lord Mahavir:

The book "Dirgh Tapasvi Mahavir" by Sukhlal Sanghavi provides a detailed account of the life and teachings of Lord Mahavir, contextualizing his emergence within the socio-political landscape of ancient India.

1. The Pre-Mahavir Era: Around 2500 years ago, India was characterized by several social and political issues. There were numerous monasteries filled with ascetics practicing various, often cruel, forms of penance. Religious leaders lived like worldly heads of institutions, attached to their followers. Many religious practices emphasized rituals and sacrifices, including animal sacrifice, over genuine knowledge. A significant segment of society held a rigid caste system, believing in their inherent purity and superiority, while considering others impure and untouchable. Knowledge was confined to scholarly circles and presented in complex languages, making it inaccessible to the common people. Women, Shudras, and especially "Ati-Shudras" (the most oppressed) were denied opportunities for spiritual or social advancement. Even within the existing Jain traditions, a decline in rigor was observed. Politically, the country lacked unity, with fragmented republican and monarchical states engaged in constant conflict and territorial expansion rather than cooperation. This environment of injustice and suffering naturally led thoughtful and compassionate individuals to desire reform and seek a guiding leader. It was in such a time that figures like Buddha and Mahavir were born.

2. Lord Mahavir's Names and Lineage: Lord Mahavir is known by several names: Vardhaman, Videhadinna, and Shraman Bhagwan. "Videhadinna" refers to his maternal lineage, while "Vardhaman" was his birth name. He became known as "Mahavir" due to his intense penance in his ascetic life, and "Shraman Bhagwan" during his preaching life. The author suggests using these names to delineate his life into three stages: domestic life (Vardhaman), ascetic life (Mahavir), and preaching life (Shraman Bhagwan).

He was born in Kshatriya Kund, in Videh (modern Bihar) on the southern bank of the Ganges, which is considered a holy site by Jains. His caste was Kshatriya, and his clan was known as 'Jnatri' (or Nath). His father was Siddhartha (also called Shreyans and Yashans), and his uncle was Rishabhadatta. His mother was Trishala (also known as Videhadinna and Priyakarini). Mahavir had an elder brother, Nandi Vardhan, and an elder sister, Sunanda. His brother was married to a daughter of Chetak, the ruler of Vaishali, and his sister was married in Kshatriya Kund to Jamali, who later became his disciple along with his wife. According to Shvetambara tradition, Mahavir was married to Yashoda and had one daughter, Priyadarshana. Jamali, his son-in-law, later renounced the world with his wife.

While Siddhartha's political power might have been ordinary, his lineage and affluence were likely high, enabling his marriage into Chetak's family.

3. Domestic Life (Vardhaman): Vardhaman's childhood was largely spent in play. However, as he approached maturity and marriageable age, he showed disinterest in marital life. This, along with his future renunciation, indicates that the seeds of detachment were inherent in him. His parents followed the tradition of Lord Parshvanath, known as 'Nirgranth', which emphasized renunciation and penance. It is highly probable that Mahavir was influenced by his family's religious heritage and its ideals of detachment and austerity. This, combined with his innate detachment, led him to decide on a religious life upon reaching maturity. His disinterest in marriage was thus natural.

When his parents insisted on his marriage, Vardhaman relented to appease them, demonstrating two key traits: respect for elders and a willingness to compromise on non-essential matters without deviating from his core principles. The author notes that this ability to compromise would be evident later in his ascetic and preaching life.

Vardhaman was 28 years old when his parents passed away. After their demise, he prepared for renunciation but postponed it for two more years to avoid causing distress to his elder brother. However, during these two years, he lived like an ascetic, maintaining his resolve for renunciation.

4. Ascetic Life (Mahavir): At the age of thirty, Vardhaman renounced his home, marking a profound transformation in his inner and outer life. The prince, accustomed to comfort, self-plucked his hair, abandoned all his possessions, and embraced a solitary and humble existence. He vowed to live a life of equanimity (Samayika Charitra) and made a powerful commitment to endure all obstacles – divine, human, or animal – with equanimity and without external help. This vow and its unwavering execution revealed his extraordinary courage, earning him the name "Mahavir" during his ascetic life.

The ancient scriptures, particularly the Acharanga Sutra, and the characteristics of the tradition that followed him, help us understand the core principle Mahavir sought to realize and the means he employed. Mahavir aimed to realize the principle of non-violence (Ahimsa), and for this, he chose restraint (Sanyam) and penance (Tapas) as his primary tools.

He observed that the strong often snatch the comforts and resources of the weak, driven by attachment to their own perceived pleasures, especially physical comforts. This tendency pollutes the atmosphere of peace and equanimity. Humans often prioritize their own happiness and convenience over the well-being of other living beings, leading to the justification that "life lives on life" (Jivo Jivasya Jeevanam). The strong use the weak as a means to achieve their own elevated paths, often through pleasurable activities that involve the sacrifice of other beings. This mistaken pursuit of pleasure and narrow-mindedness fosters division, enmity, and ultimately, revenge. This cycle of violence and retaliation creates a polluted environment that makes worldly pleasures itself undesirable.

Contemplating the dreadful nature of violence, Mahavir saw Ahimsa as the foundation of all religions, duties, and peace for all living beings. He firmly believed that the world could achieve true peace only by realizing the principle of Ahimsa. To prevent the conflict arising from attachment to physical pleasures, he undertook penance, and to counter violence caused by impatience and mental disturbances, he embraced restraint.

Restraint primarily involves the mind and speech, thus encompassing meditation and silence. Sanyam and Tapas were the cornerstones of Mahavir's ascetic life, and his dedicated efforts for twelve years, marked by unwavering vigilance and diligence, are unparalleled in the history of penance.

Some dismiss Mahavir's penance as mere self-mortification. However, a deeper consideration of his life in the context of truth and justice reveals that his penance was not dry self-torment. He emphasized both restraint and penance equally. He understood that a lack of penance would reduce tolerance, leading to an increased desire to enhance one's own comfort by sacrificing the well-being of others, thereby undermining restraint. Similarly, penance without restraint is as futile as unwanted physical suffering imposed upon a dependent being.

As Mahavir's practice of restraint and penance deepened, he drew closer to the principle of Ahimsa, and his profound peace began to radiate, unconsciously influencing those around him. According to psychological principles, the growing inner strength of one individual inevitably affects others, knowingly or unknowingly.

A significant historical event during his ascetic life was his association with a person named Gosala for about six years, after which they parted ways. Gosala later became his adversary and the leader of the Ajivika sect. While the reasons for their initial association and separation are unclear, the prolonged companionship between a prominent Ajivika leader and a practicing ascetic like Mahavir is undoubtedly significant for truth-seekers.

After twelve years of arduous and prolonged penance, when he was fully convinced of his realization of the principle of Ahimsa, he changed his life's course. The universal dharma of Ahimsa had fully manifested in this great ascetic, and his public life held the potential to transform many other souls. The previously polluted atmosphere of Magadha and Videha began to purify as numerous ascetics and thinkers emerged with aspirations for public welfare. It was during this time that the "long-practicing ascetic" (Dirgh Tapasvi) also emerged into the public sphere.

5. Preaching Life (Shraman Bhagwan): Shraman Bhagwan's public life spanned from the age of 43 to 72. During this period, his key contributions included:

• Breaking Down Social Barriers: He opened the path to monastic and spiritual leadership for everyone, including Shudras, without any distinction of caste or creed. He established that superiority is based not on birth but on virtues, with a pure life being paramount among virtues.
• Empowering Women: He granted women complete freedom for their development, recognizing their full potential in both knowledge and conduct, and opened the spiritual path of leadership to them.
• Promoting Vernacular Language: By preaching spiritual knowledge and conduct in the common language, he reduced the obsession with Sanskrit and removed language as an obstacle to knowledge acquisition for the deserving.
• Elevating Self-Reliance: He championed the importance of self-reliant and effort-driven paths of restraint and penance over ritualistic practices like sacrifices for worldly and other-worldly gains, fostering a love for the dharma of Ahimsa.
• Upholding True Renunciation: He replaced the decaying practices in the name of renunciation and penance with genuine renunciation and true penance, fostering an atmosphere that valued spiritual union (Yoga) over indulgence (Bhoga).

His disciples were divided into ascetics (bhikshus) and householders. There were 14,000 monk disciples and 36,000 nun disciples, along with lakhs of householder disciples. These disciples came from all castes and genders. His prominent disciples included Brahmins like Indrabhuti and others, Kshatriyas like Udai, Meshkumar, and many royal figures. Vaishyas like Shalibhadra, and even the "Ati-Shudras" like Mahataraj and Harikeshi, followed his pure initiation and reached higher paths. Among the nuns, Chandanbala was a Kshatriya daughter, and Devananda was a Brahmin. Among householders were prominent Kshatriya rulers like Chetak of Vaishali, Shrenik (Bimbisara) of Rajagriha, and his son Konika (Ajatashatru). Among the ten principal lay disciples, Shankhali was a potter, and the remaining six were Vaishyas involved in agriculture and cattle rearing. Dhank, a potter, was a wise and steadfast devotee. Many wanderers like Khandak and Ambad, and learned Brahmins like Somil, followed Shraman Bhagwan. Among the prominent female householder devotees were Revati, Sulsa, and Jayanti. Jayanti was as devoted as she was learned, engaging in intellectual discussions with Bhagwan, a testament to the status of women during his time.

Mahavir's contemporaries included figures like Gautama Buddha, Purna Kashyapa, Sanjaya Vairatiputra, Pakudha Katyayana, Ajita Kesakambali, and Makkhali Gosala.

6. Compromise and Sectarianism: The Jain tradition, known as Nirgranth, predated Mahavir. The prominent Nirgranth leaders of his time, like Keshikumara, followed the tradition of Lord Parshvanath. They wore colored garments and adhered to the "Chaturyama Dharma" (four great vows): Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, and Aparigraha. Shraman Bhagwan introduced two new practices in contrast to this tradition: Achal Dharma (nudity) and Brahmacharya (abstinence from women). It's suggested that a relaxation in the practice concerning clothing and women might have occurred in the earlier tradition, and to address this, nudity and abstinence from women were incorporated into the Nirgranth code. Brahmacharya was separated from the vow of aparigraha, making it five great vows instead of four. The worthy leaders of Parshvanath's tradition accepted this revision, leading to a reconciliation between old and new monks.

Some scholars believe that the difference of opinion regarding wearing or not wearing clothes ultimately led to the formation of the Shvetambara and Digambara sects. However, from a broader perspective, the differences between these sects are not profound. Unfortunately, the consciousness of sectarian identity has ignited a destructive fire between these two branches. Furthermore, minor disagreements have led to the emergence of numerous other smaller sects, all claiming to be under the umbrella of Mahavir's Anekantavada (Syadvada).

7. The Essence of the Teachings: The entire life and teachings of Shraman Bhagwan can be summarized in two core principles: complete Ahimsa in conduct and Anekantavada in philosophy. The destiny of these principles is embedded in the practices and philosophical discourse of his tradition. This is the impartial view of contemporary scholars.

Mahavir's opponents included his son-in-law, Jamali, who formed a rival sect. His former associate, Gosala, also established the Ajivika sect, which still exists in a modified form in India. Lord Mahavir spent the major part of his life in Videh and Magadha, likely reaching the banks of the Yamuna. He frequently visited and resided in cities like Shravasti, Koshambi, Tamralipta, Champa, and Rajagriha.

Conclusion: The penance, peaceful and long life, and teachings of Shraman Bhagwan Mahavir brought about a significant revolution in the religious and social life of Magadha, Videha, Kashi, Kosala, and other regions. The proof of this is not only found in scriptures but also in the inherent and enduring love for Ahimsa and penance that has awakened in the spiritual consciousness of India. Twenty-four hundred and fifty-six years ago, on the night of Kartik Krishna Amavasya, this ascetic's earthly life concluded (he attained Nirvana) at Pavapuri, a sacred place near Rajagriha. The responsibility of the Sangha established by him then fell upon his chief disciple, Sudharma Swami.