DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.2371#0508
486 JAINA CAVE-TEMPLES.
nor lived quite so long; and so with each successor—their stature
age, and distance of time after the preceding diminishing in a
regular progression, till we come to the twenty-third, named
Parswanatha, said to have been born at Banaras, married the
daughter of King Prasenajita, adopted an ascetic life at the age
of 30, and died at the age of 100 years while performing a fast
on Samet Sikhar or Mount Parisnath in the west of Bengal, 250
years before the death of the last Tirthankara (i.e., about 777
B.C.). Vardhamana or Mahavira,1 the last, began his austerities at
the age of 30, and continued them for 12^ years as a Bigamhara or
naked ascetic without even a bhikshu's begging dish. Finally he
became an Arhat or Jina " worthy of universal adoration, omniscient
and all seeing," and at the age of 72, at the court of King Hastipala,
he entered nirvana, leaving Gotama Indrabhuti, the chief of his
initiated disciples, to propagate his doctrines. Different dates are
given for this event, but the majority of Jaina books place it in
526 B.C.2
The Jains are divided into two great sects, the Digambaras, " sky-
clad," also called Nirgranthas, " without a bond," and JSTagnatas,
" naked mendicants," 3 and the Swetdmbaras or " white-robed." fhe
first are frequently mentioned in early Buddhist literature under the
name of Nirgranthas* and seem to have been know even in Buddha 8
own times. They are still found both in Maisur and Eajputana,
but do not appear naked in public. To them all the Jaina cave-
temples appear to belong. The Swetambaras are probably a later
sect. Hiwen Thsang seems to refer to their origin in his accoun
of Sihhapura in the Panjab, near which he says " the founder of the
heretical sect who wear white garments" began to expound his
doctrine. " The law," he adds, " that has been set forth by the
founder of this sect has been largely appropriated from Buddme
1 His real name seems to have been Nirgrantha Jhatiputra; he is referre
Buddhist Pitakas under tUe Pali form of Mgantha Nataputta, and one of his asmh.-
is called Makkhali Gosala.—Biihler, Ind. Ant, vol. vii., p. 143 ; and Jacobi, &W
Sutra, pp. 1, 2, 6.
2 Weber would lower this to B.C. 348 or 349 B.C. {Uber Catr. Mdhdt, p. U)'
3 Biihler, Ind. Ant., vol. vii. p. 28. , ,.„,
4 l>_____1. T..3 a . , • „... .. , /. n. T_>:-_>. AfimHUT Ut t'(""'
Occ.
Hian
1 Burnell, hid. Ant., vol. i. p. 310, n. § ,- and couf. St. Julien's Mem. mJ**, fa.
:c, t. i. pp. 41, 354; t. ii. pp. 42, 93; Vie de H. T., pp. 224, 228; Lali11'^! i01_
ion, pp. 144,145 ; Jour. H.A.S., vol. vi. p. 267.; J. B. B. JR. As., vol. v., pp. **»»
nor lived quite so long; and so with each successor—their stature
age, and distance of time after the preceding diminishing in a
regular progression, till we come to the twenty-third, named
Parswanatha, said to have been born at Banaras, married the
daughter of King Prasenajita, adopted an ascetic life at the age
of 30, and died at the age of 100 years while performing a fast
on Samet Sikhar or Mount Parisnath in the west of Bengal, 250
years before the death of the last Tirthankara (i.e., about 777
B.C.). Vardhamana or Mahavira,1 the last, began his austerities at
the age of 30, and continued them for 12^ years as a Bigamhara or
naked ascetic without even a bhikshu's begging dish. Finally he
became an Arhat or Jina " worthy of universal adoration, omniscient
and all seeing," and at the age of 72, at the court of King Hastipala,
he entered nirvana, leaving Gotama Indrabhuti, the chief of his
initiated disciples, to propagate his doctrines. Different dates are
given for this event, but the majority of Jaina books place it in
526 B.C.2
The Jains are divided into two great sects, the Digambaras, " sky-
clad," also called Nirgranthas, " without a bond," and JSTagnatas,
" naked mendicants," 3 and the Swetdmbaras or " white-robed." fhe
first are frequently mentioned in early Buddhist literature under the
name of Nirgranthas* and seem to have been know even in Buddha 8
own times. They are still found both in Maisur and Eajputana,
but do not appear naked in public. To them all the Jaina cave-
temples appear to belong. The Swetambaras are probably a later
sect. Hiwen Thsang seems to refer to their origin in his accoun
of Sihhapura in the Panjab, near which he says " the founder of the
heretical sect who wear white garments" began to expound his
doctrine. " The law," he adds, " that has been set forth by the
founder of this sect has been largely appropriated from Buddme
1 His real name seems to have been Nirgrantha Jhatiputra; he is referre
Buddhist Pitakas under tUe Pali form of Mgantha Nataputta, and one of his asmh.-
is called Makkhali Gosala.—Biihler, Ind. Ant, vol. vii., p. 143 ; and Jacobi, &W
Sutra, pp. 1, 2, 6.
2 Weber would lower this to B.C. 348 or 349 B.C. {Uber Catr. Mdhdt, p. U)'
3 Biihler, Ind. Ant., vol. vii. p. 28. , ,.„,
4 l>_____1. T..3 a . , • „... .. , /. n. T_>:-_>. AfimHUT Ut t'(""'
Occ.
Hian
1 Burnell, hid. Ant., vol. i. p. 310, n. § ,- and couf. St. Julien's Mem. mJ**, fa.
:c, t. i. pp. 41, 354; t. ii. pp. 42, 93; Vie de H. T., pp. 224, 228; Lali11'^! i01_
ion, pp. 144,145 ; Jour. H.A.S., vol. vi. p. 267.; J. B. B. JR. As., vol. v., pp. **»»