LICCHAVIS AND OTHER REPUBLICAN CLANS
From this brief account of the several ruling houses of Eastern India, it
will be clear that Mahavira obtained good support everywhere. His personal
connections with the various rulers reached through his mother Trisala,
the Licchavi Princess, and his maternal uncle Cetaka, the king of Vaisali.
The Licchavis were recognized all round as high born Ksatriyas, with whom
the highest born princes of Eastern India, and not only Eastern India but
also as far west as Sindhu-Sauvira, considered it an honor to enter into
matrimonial alliance. We have already seen that out of the seven daughters
of Cetaka, Padmavati, Mrgavati, Shiva and Cellana were married
respectively to the lords of Anga, Vatsa, Avanti and Magadha. The eldest
Prabhavati was married to King Udayana of Vitabhaya, which has been
identified at various places in the Jaina literature with a town of
Sindhu-Sauvira desa. As to what part of the country is
Sindhu-Sauvira-desa, whether it is “the province of Badari or Eder, at the
head of the Gulf of Cambay” ) Cunningham), or “to the north of Kathiawar
and along the Gulf of Cutch” (Rhys Davids) or “the
province of Multan and Jahravar” (Alberuni), or “in Sindhu or Sindh” (Satrunjaya-Mahatmya),
historians are not quite in agreement about; but according to Jaina
sources Udayana was the overlord of three hundred and sixty three other
towns. Through his relationship Licchavis, Mahavira’s religion was greatly
helped in the course of its spread over Sauvira, Anga, Vatsa, Avanti,
Videha and Magadha, all of which were the most powerful kingdoms of the
time. It is significant that Buddhist books do not mention Cetaka at all,
though they tell us about the constitutional government of Vaisali used to
be a stronghold of Jainism, while being looked upon by the Buddhists as a
seminary of heresies and dissent.”
The Licchavis were naturally favorable to Mahavira’s order. There are many
stray references in the Jaina Sutras which confirm the fact that
the Licchavis were followers of the Jaina faith. The capital of the
Licchavis formed one of the headquarters of the Jaina community during the
days of Mahavira. Out of forty-two rainy seasons spent as a missionary
during his later ascetic life, twelve were passed at Vaisali. Like the
Licchavis, the Vajji, who in fact cannot be strictly differentiated
from the Licchavis, came under the influence of Lord Mahavira, for Vaisali
seems to have been regarded also as the metropolis of the entire Vajji
confederacy. These republics in Eastern India had a type of Government
which was senatorial, like the government in the city-state of Rome. The
Jnatrkas, whose most noble scion was Mahavira, also formed one of
the most important clans included in the Vajjian confederacy. The
several clans of the Vajjian confederacy must have been naturally affected
by the doctrines of the Nataputta. The canonical literature of his bitter
antagonists, the Buddhists, does not fail to make this admission, and
preached his faith of unbounded charity to all living beings, the number
of his followers among the Licchavis appears to have been large and some
men of the highest position appear to have been among them.”
The Mallakins also seen to have cherished a feeling of respect and
sympathy for the great prophet and his doctrines. Both the Buddhist and
the Jaina texts agree that the country of the Mallas formed one of
the sixteen Mahajanapadas. At the time of Mahavira the Mallas
appear to have been divided into two confederacies one with its capital
Pava and the other at Kusinara the two places being
respectively the cities where the Jaina prophet Mahavira and the Buddha
reached their final liberation. With the Mallas, Jainism seems to have
established almost a good connections as with the Licchavis. According to
Dr. B.C. Law, we get ample proof for this even from the Buddhist
literature,
Geographically Kosala roughly corresponds to modern dern
Oudh, and it seems to have contained three great cities namely
Ayodhya, Saketa and Sravasti- the first two sometimes
being often supposed to be one and the same. When one remembers that
Sravasti was visited by Mahavira more than once and that he was always
well received there one cannot but admit that the Kosalas also came
under the influence of Mahavira.
MAP OF MAHAVIRA’S
TRAVELS:
From this analysis of the various kingdoms and republics of Eastern India,
it would appear that Mahavira’s reformed church gained followers
practically all over the vast stretches of the country. The references in
the Jaina texts enable us to draw a complete map of Lord Mahavira’s
travels and to recount the names of some of his prominent followers during
the period of his propagation of the faith. The following is the list of
the places where he stayed for the successive rainy seasons after the
attainment of Kevala-Jnana.
It has been stated above that Mahavira attained the Kevala while
sitting in meditation in a field outside the town Jrmbhikagrama and
that he made his first converts and established the Sangha at a
Samavasarana near the place of Somilacarya’s Yajna. From
there the Lord proceeded to Rajgrha, the capital of Magadha,
where he initiated the princes Meghakumar and Nandisena into the
order of monks, gained numerous lay followers including Sulsa,
Abhayakumar, and the King Srenika (Bimbisara) himself. The first rainy
season he spent at Rajgrha.
After the rains were over, the Lord turned towards Videha, and passing
through many villages ultimately reached Kundagrama, his birth place. The
town of Kundagrama seems to have been divided into two settlements, a
Ksatriyakunda where Mahavira’s father had lived and a Brahmanakund
where lived Devananda, Mahavira’s Brahman foster-mother and her
husband by name Rsabhadatta. Mahavira made his stay in Brahmanakund and
there converted to his order the Brahman Rsabhadatta and his wife
Devananda. It was on this occasion that on the sight of Mahavira Devananda
had that sight of Mahavira Devananda had that sudden material emotion to
which reference has been made earlier in this book. Another important
convert at Kundagrama was the Ksatriya Jamali who joined the order with
his five hundred companions. This Jamali later on organized a schism in
the Jaina church. From Kundagrama Mahavira proceeded to Vaisali, where he
passed the second rainy season.
On the completion of the 2nd rainy season the Lord proceeded towards the
Vatsa country. The ruler of Vatsa, Satanika, had died and the kingdom was
administered by the widow, Queen Mrgavati, on behalf of her minor son
Udayana. At Kausambi, the capital of Vatsa, Mahavira held a public
audience and converted to his order the Queen Mrgavati and an aunt of the
King, by name Jayanti. From there, he proceeded further to Kosala, where
at Sravasti a number of sympathizers and followers were gained for the
Jaina faith. The rainy season was passed at Vanijyagrama in Videha, to
which Mahavira returned from Kosala. At Vanijyagrama in Videha, to which
Mahavira returned from Kosala. At Vanijyagrama, the merchant Ananda
and his wife Sivananda accepted the Sramanopasak vows. Ananda
became one of the loyal and highly trusted followers of the Lord.
From Vanijyagrama Mahavira repaired at the end of the rainy season to
Magadha, where after roaming about the kingdom for several moths he
settled down for the rainy Season at Rajgrha. Among the new converts this
year there were the merchants Dhanya and Salibhadra.
Campa was the next place, which the Lord visited on the completion of the
rainy season. Here he converted the prince Mahacandra Kumar. From Campa he
proceeded to the province of Sindhu Sauvira, where Udayana was ruling over
Vitabhaya. It has been already explained how this Udayana was related to
Mahavira through his wife Prabhavati. The journey to Sindhu Sauvira was
very difficult, involving travel in desert areas and hard country; but
Mahavira went to the place in order to give to King Udayana Diksa
as a ‘Sramanopasaka’. Returning from Sindhu-Sauvira, he spent the
rainy season at Vanijyagrama.
After the rainy season, a visit was paid to Benares and certain other
places in the kingdom of Kasi, where numerous followers were gained for
the Jaina church. For the rainy season, the Lord returned to Rajgrha. At
Rajgrha he spent a highly fruitful season King Srenika had proclaimed that
he would personally undertake to feed and otherwise overlook the
dependents of anybody who desired to join Mahavira’s order of monks. As a
result of this proclamation, thousands of people joined the order and
Mahavira stayed on at Rajgrha giving Diksa to the comers for
sometime even after the finishing of the rainy season. Enraged, probably
at the success of Lord Mahavira’s ministry, Gosala Mankhaliputra, of whom
mention has been made already, began his public criticism of Mahavira’s
faith, although unsuccessfully, in the course of an argument with Ardraka,
a monk of Mahavira’s order. The rainy season was spent by Mahavira again
at Rajgrha.
Having spent two rainy seasons at Rajgrha, Mahavira proceeded towards
Vatsa country, visiting on the way Alabhiya in the kingdom of Kasi. At
Kausambi he converted queen Mrgavati and several queens of Canda Pradyota.
From here he proceeded towards Videha, and spent the rainy season at
Vaisali.
On the completion of the rainy season he went to Mithila, thence to
Kakandi, Sravasti, and the republics of the west, and made numerous
conversations. The rainy season was passed at Vanijyagrama.
From here Mahavira proceeded after the rainy season to Magadha, where
there was the famous meeting between his followers and the monks of
Prasva’s order. As a result of discussion of the several points of
difference between the practices of the two orders, Mahavira’s leadership
of the Jaina community was accepted by all. The rainy season was spent at
Rajgrha.
From Rajgrha, Mahavira repaired at the end of the season to the Western
kingdoms, but returned to Vanijyagrama for spending the next rainy season.
The next year was marked by the occurrence of the first schism in the
community, when Jamali separated from the Lord with a small band of his
companions. Mahavira himself repaired to Kausambi, then to Rajgrha, where
he spent the next rainy season; then after the end of the rains to Campa,
where after the death of Srenika, his son, Kunik, had transferred his
capital. From Campa he turned towards Mithila and spent the next rainy
season there.
It was when Mahavira proceeded to Sravasti after the rainy season that he
had his famous encounter with Gosala, who after separating from Mahavira
had continued to hang about the city claiming among his followers the
potter-woman Halahala and the minstrel Ayampul. Gosala had of
course, claimed for himself the status of a Tirthankara, so that
arose the anomaly of two Tirthankaras staying at the same town.
When questioned about it, Mahavira denounced Gosala and stated in a public
audience that he was not a Tirthankara nor a true believer, whereupon got
enraged, and visited Mahavira for a religious discussion. The discussion
was, of course, inconclusive, but two disciples of Mahavira who intervened
were burnt up by his fiery power. Gosala attempted to burn Mahavira
himself, but was unsuccessful. The after-effects of Gosala’s fiery attack
were, however, felt by Mahavira and he suffered great pain later on. The
rainy season was passed at Mithila.
From Mithila, Mahavira went towards Kosala-Pancala, visiting Sravasti,
Ahicchatra, Hastinapur and other towns, and returned for the next rainy
season to Vanijyagrama. The last few rainy seasons were spent at Rajgrha,
Vanijyagrama, Vaisali, Vaisali again, Rajgrha Nalanda, Vaisali, Mithila,
Rajgrha, Nalanda, Mithila, Mithila again, Rajgrha, until at the age of 72
he attained Nirvana on Kartika Amavasya at Pavapuri.
Mahavira’s Community
of Followers:
Mahavira succeeded in attracting a large number of disciples, both men and
women, and organized his community into four orders. Chief among his
followers were fourteen thousand monks, at the head of whom stood the
eleven Ganadharas, and thirty-six thousand nuns, at the head of whom was
Candana. These included “three hundred sages who knew the fourteen Purvas,
who though not Jinas came very near them, thirteen hundred sages who were
possessed of the Avadhi-knowledge and superior qualities; seven
hundred Kevalins; seven hundred who could transform themselves; five
hundred sages of mighty intellect; four hundred professors who were never
vanquished in disputes; seven hundred male and fourteen hundred female
disciples who reached perfection; and eight hundred sages in their last
birth,” During Mahavira’s own lifetime nine of the Ganadharas attained
Kevalajnana. Two survived him, Gautama and Sudharma, and as Gautama
attained Kevala-jnana just as Mahavira breathed his last and
obtained Nirvana, Sudharma became the head of the Order. From
Sudharma it is possible to trace a whole of succession of the leaders of
the order right up to the present time.
Mahavira’s third order consisted of laymen. They were householders who did
not actually renounce the world but who could and did keep his rules in a
modified form, while their alms supported the professed monks. As Mrs.
Stevenson says, the genius for organization which Mahavira possessed is
shown in nothing more clearly than in the formation of this and the order
of laywomen. The laymen are said to have numbered during Mahavira’s
lifetime one hundred and fifty-nine thousand men; according to the
Digambara version the number given is one hundred thousand; the laywomen
numbered three hundred and fifty-eight thousands.
In one of the well-known Jaina Agamas, Uvasagadasao, the names of
ten of the more important lay followers of Mahavira are given.
Vanijyagrama, Campa, Baranasi, Alabhiya (or Alai), Kampilyapura,
Polasapura, Rajagrha and Sravasti are mentioned as the important ones
along the places that were visited by the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira. The
town of Campa had near it the shrine of Purnabhadra, Vanijyagrama, the
shrine called Dutipalasa;
Baranasi the Kosthaka shrine; Alabhiya, the garden called Sankhavana;
Kampilyapura, the garden Sahasramravana: Polaspura, a garden known by the
name of Sahasramravana; Rajgrha, a shrine called Gunasil; and Sravasti,
the Moshthaka shrine. In Vanijyagrama the great lay disciples of Mahavira
and the lay supporters of his order were Ananda and his wife Sivananda; in
Campa; Kamadeva and his wife Bhadra; in Baranasi. Culanipiya and his wife
Syama, and Suradeva and his wife Dhanya; in Alabhiya, Cullasataka and his
wife Bahula; in Kampilyapura, Kundakolita and his wife Pusya; in
Polasapura, Sakadalaputra and his wife Agnimltra; in Rajgrha, Mahasataka;
and in Sravasti, Nandinipriya and his wife Asvini, and Salatipiya and his
wife Phalaguni. These lay disciples are all mentioned as persons of
opulence and influence, and as those noted for their piety and devotion.
Ananda of Vanijyagrama is described as householder who “possessed a
treasure of four kror measures of gold deposited in a safe place, a
capital of four kror measures of gold put out on interest, a well
stocked estate of the value of four kror measures of gold, and four
herds, each herd consisting of ten thousand herds of cattle.” He “was a
person whom many kings and princes and merchants made it a point to refer
to, and to consult, on many affairs and matters needing
advice,............in short, on all sorts of business. He was also the
main pillar, as it were, of his own family, their authority, support,
mainstay and guide. In short, he was a cause of prosperity to whatever
business he was concerned with.” Even the Buddhist texts bear testimony to
numerous rich householders being among he lay disciples of Mahavira.
Nirvana
Mahavira attained nirvana at Pava in 527 B.C. at the age of 72. The
Licchavis and Mallas were two peoples to whom the rise of Mahavira was an
object of national pride, and accordingly, it is said in the Kalpasutra
that when Mahavira died, the eighteen confederate kings of Kasi and Kosala,
the nine Mallakis and the nine Licchavis, instituted an illumination
saying ‘Since the light of intelligence is gone, let us make an
illumination of material matter!’
Philosophy
