Mahavir Aur Buddh Janma Va Pravrajye - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary in English of the provided Jain text, "Mahavir aur Buddh Janma va Pravrajye" by Nagrajmuni:

The book, "Mahavir aur Buddh Janma va Pravrajye" (Mahavir and Buddha: Birth and Renunciation), authored by Muni Shrinagarajji, delves into a comparative study of the birth and renunciation narratives of Lord Mahavir and Lord Buddha, primarily drawing from Jain Āchārāṅga Sūtra and Kalpa Sūtra, and the Buddhist Jātaka Nidānakathā. The author emphasizes that while both texts complement each other, these specific sections offer a biographical style account. The comparisons and contrasts are crucial for understanding the nuances of Jain and Buddhist cultures, as well as shedding light on contemporary societal norms, religious traditions, and popular beliefs.

Key Comparisons and Contrasts:

Intention before Birth: Both Mahavir and Buddha, in the latter part of their lives in their previous births, contemplate their next birth. However, Mahavir's thought is "Where is my birth going to happen?", whereas Buddha's thought is "Where should I be born?" This highlights a subtle difference in their pre-ordained destiny versus a chosen path.
Jambudvipa Conception: The size of Jambudvipa is described differently: one lakh Yojana for Mahavir and ten thousand Yojana for Buddha.
Place of Birth: Mahavir is born in Kṣatriyakundpur in the southern part of Jambudvipa, while Buddha is born in Kapilavastu in the central Deva region of Jambudvipa. The author notes that these locations are geographically close, with different names.
Lineage and Conception:
- Mahavir: The text explains that Indra considered it best to transfer Mahavir's conception from Devananda (a Brahmin woman) to Trishala (a Kṣatriya woman), believing that a Tirthankar should be born in a Kṣatriya lineage, not Brahmin, Vaishya, or Shudra.
- Buddha: Buddha himself desired to be born in a Kṣatriya or Brahmin lineage, not Vaishya or Shudra, thus choosing a Kṣatriya birth.
- Significance: This comparison reveals that Indra's understanding of Tirthankar lineage was solely Kṣatriya, while Buddha's consideration included both Brahmin and Kṣatriya.
Maternal Dreams: Mahavir's mother dreams of fourteen auspicious signs like a lion, elephant, and bull, while Buddha's mother dreams of only one – an elephant.
Prophecies: Dream interpreters predict Mahavir will become a Chakravarti or a Jin (Tirthankar), and Buddha will become a Chakravarti or a Buddha.
Divine Intervention at Birth: Both protagonists are described as having divine presence at their birth. The Jain accounts are more detailed and emphasize miraculous events compared to the Jātaka Nidānakathā.
Prostration at Birth: When Siddhartha (Buddha) is presented to the ascetic Kala Devala, he touches the ascetic's matted hair with his feet, signifying that Buddha does not bow to anyone from birth. While no such incident is mentioned for Mahavir, the Jain rule is that Tirthankaras do not bow to any specific individual.
Upbringing: Mahavir has five wet nurses and attendants, while Buddha is lovingly raised by attendants.
Sowing Ceremony: The Jātaka Nidānakathā provides a vivid description of a seed-sowing ceremony where the king, ministers, and thousands of ploughmen participate. This is compared to modern tree-planting ceremonies.
Marriage and Family Life: Mahavir, capable of enjoying worldly pleasures, and Buddha, at 16 years old, begin their married lives.
Palaces: The Jātaka Nidānakathā mentions three separate palaces for Buddha for different seasons. The Āchārāṅga and Kalpa Sūtra also describe separate palaces for each season, signifying opulence. Wealthy individuals in both traditions are known to have distinct residences for different seasons.
Entertainment: Buddha is said to have 44,000 dancers for his entertainment.
Education: Neither Mahavir nor Buddha attend traditional schools for study. Mahavir displays his intellectual prowess by answering grammatical questions posed by Indra in a single day. Buddha demonstrates his skill among master craftsmen in a day.
Enlightenment/Motivation for Renunciation: Mahavir is prompted for renunciation by Lokāntika devas. Buddha is prompted by seeing the four sights: an old man, a sick man, a dead man, and an ascetic.
Yearly Charity (Varshidaan): Mahavir practices Varshidaan before renunciation; this is not mentioned for Buddha.
Renunciation Journey: As Buddha leaves the city, Mara warns him that the Chakraratna (wheel-jewel) will appear in seven days, urging him not to leave home. The concept of the Chakraratna is also present in Jain tradition for those destined to be Chakravartis.
Ceremony of Renunciation: Mahavir's renunciation is celebrated by gods like Indra and humans like Siddhartha, involving adornment, procession in a palanquin, and the ritual of renunciation. On the night of Buddha's Great Renunciation, gods, unseen by others, adorn him after his bath, following Indra's command. The author notes that the Jātaka Nidānakathā seems to follow the ritualistic style of renunciation described in the Jain Āgamas. The divine presence during Buddha's renunciation is described even during his solitary ride on his horse, with thousands of gods holding torches.
Hair Cutting: Mahavir performs a five-fistful hair plucking (panch-mūṣṭika loc) during his initiation. Buddha cuts his hair with a sword.
Hair Disposal: Indra receives Mahavir's hair and immerses it in the ocean of milk. Buddha throws his cut hair into the sky, where it remains suspended at a yojana's height, and Indra collects it in a jeweled casket, making it a Cūḍāmaṇi-Caitya in the Trayastrimsa heaven.
Post-Initiation Growth: After initiation, neither Mahavir nor Buddha experience growth of hair on their face or head. Both traditions consider this an extraordinary attribute.
Buddha's Horse and Strength: The horse Buddha rides is named Kanthaka, measuring eighteen hands from neck to tail. Buddha is described as having the strength of a thousand crore elephants. In Jain tradition, a Chakravarti has the strength of forty lakh beings, and a Tirthankar is infinitely strong.
Miraculous Feats: Mahavir, in his infancy, shakes Meru with his thumb, dispelling doubts among the gods. While Buddha's biography doesn't detail such specific early feats, he performs various miraculous acts through his yogic powers.

Conclusion:

The author concludes by stating that this comparative overview of the birth and renunciation narratives of Mahavir and Buddha is merely an introduction. These accounts are rich repositories of research material, offering ample scope for scholars to explore according to their interests.