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Antiquity of Jainism
Professor Mahavir Saran Jain

Lord MAHAVIRA is not the

founder of Jainism. Since Gautama Buddha, founder of
Buddhism, belonged to the same region of Magadha as
MAHAVIRA - the 24th Tirthankar of Jainism, and because
both were contemporaries, it was assumed erroneously
that Jainism was contemporary of Buddhism or was an off
shoot of Buddhism.

It is now accepted that Jainism is not only older than

Buddhism but it has got its roots going deep into the
antiquity in pre-Aryan and pre-Vedic times. Herman
Jacobi, states in his article on Jainism in Encyclopaedia of
Religion and Ethics (Vol. II, pp. 465-74):

“Notwithstanding the radical difference in their

philosophical notions, Jainism and Buddhism being
outside the place of Brahmanism, present resemblances
in outward appearance, so that even Indian writers
occasionally have confounded them. It is therefore not to
be wondered that some European scholars who became
acquainted with Jainism through inadequate samples of
Jain literature easily persuaded themselves that it was an
outcome of Buddhism. But it has since been proved that
their theory is wrong.”

According to Jain beliefs, the universe was never created,

nor will it ever cease to exist. Time is divided into
Utsarpinis (Progressive Time Cycle) and Avsarpinis
(Regressive Time Cycle). An Utsarpinis and an Avsarpinis
constitute one Time Cycle (Kalchakra). Every Utsarpinis
and Avsarpinis is divided into six unequal periods known
as Eras. During the Utsarpinis half cycle, humanity
develops from its worst to its best. During the Avsarpinis
half-cycle, these notions deteriorate from the best to the
worst. Jains believe we are currently in the fifth Era of the
Avsarpinis phase, with approximately 19,000 years until
the next Era. After this Avsarpinis phase, the Utsarpinis
phase will begin, continuing the infinite repetition of the
Kalchakra.

Lord Rishabha (ऋषभ) is regarded as the first and Lord

Vardhamana (Mahavira, महावीर) is regarded the
last Tirthankar to attain enlightenment (599-527 BCE) of
the present six-cycle period of Jain chronology. Before
Mahavira, Jain tradition was known by many names such
as

1. Sraman
2. Nigganthas/nirgranthas
3. Arhat
4. Vatarshana Muni
5. Vratya
1. The Sraman Tradition

Dr. Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar' has discussed the opinion of

Sanskrit Grammarian 'Panini' about the perpetual
struggles between two different cultures/traditions:

1. Sramanas
2. Brahamanas

They were called Sramanas (Monks) because they

were believed in the equality of all beings and practiced
non-violence etc.

In his Indus Civilization and Hindu Culture, the eminent

scholar, P. R. Deshmukh says:

”The first Jain Tirthankar belonged to Indus civilization.

The Indus Valley deities were nude. The Jains sustained
that culture and worshipped nude Tirthankaras”.

H.T. Colebrook has traced the non-Aryan origins of Jain

culture and he observes in his Observation on the Sect of
Jains that the Greek authors of the third Century B.C.
divided all philosophers into two groups Shramanas and
Brahmans so greatly differentiated that they considered
them as belonging to different races. From this Dr.Guseva
concludes:

“Only one interpretation can be given to this, and that is, in

those times followers of Jainism were, in the main,
representatives of pre-Aryan population of the country.
This means that there is basis to assert that the chief
components of this non Vedic religion were engendered
by non Aryan ethnical environment.”

Ex. Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of

India, M. N. Deshpande states,

“This extract helps in satisfactorily understanding the

distinctive nature and origin of Jain asceticism which was
distinct from Brahmanic asceticism. This path of the
Shramanas inculcates complete nivratti (turning away
completely from worldly life) and pravrajya (renunciation),
enjoining total anagaratva (the state of homelessness)
together with the vow of non-killing, truthfulness, non-
stealing and celibacy. The concept of “Trigupti or the total
abstinence by mind (manas), body (kaya) and speech
(vacha), further tends to sharpen the ascetic ideal to a
point that casting one’s body by prolonged fast
(sallekhana) is recommended in no other religious order.
Among other distinctive practices of the Jain faith mention
may be made of alochana or confession of sin’s and the
daily ceremony of pratikramana or expiation of sins” (The
Background and Tradition, Ch-2 in The Jain Art and
Architecture, Bharatiya Jnanapitha, Vol. I, 1974)

2.The Nigganthas tradition

They were called Nigganthas/Nirgranthas because they

were detached and free from passions.

Bhikshu Dharmananda Kosambi has said; “In Tripitakas,

there is a mention in several places about Nigganthas-
Jains. From this it is clear that the Nigganthas tradition
was in existence many years before Buddha. It is
mentioned in the Anguttara Nikaya that one “Bappa”
named Shakya (belonging to the clan of Shakyas in which
Buddha was born) was a lay follower (Sravaka) of the
Nigganthas (Jain). In the same Sutta’s Atthahatha it is also
said that this “Bappa” was an uncle of Buddha."

It may be mentioned here that Nigganthas means

unattached, without possessions, an ancient name for the
Jain community.

Buddhist texts refer to the existence of large numbers of

Nigganthas (unattached ones) who followed the Samvara.

Prof. Jacobi notes:

“The Nigganthas are frequently mentioned by the

Buddhists, even in the oldest part of the Pitakas. But I
have not yet met with a distinct mention of the Buddha in
any of the old Jain Sutras. As it is inconsistent with our
assumption of a contemporaneous origin of both creeds,
we are driven to the conclusion that the Nigganthas were
not a newly founded sect of Buddha’s time. This seems to
have been the opinion of the Pitakas too, for we find no
indication to the contrary in them.” (“On Mahavira and His
Predecessors” in the Indian Antiquary, IX, 1880 158-163)
3.The Arhatas

They were called Arhatas /Arhantas (worthy of Worship)

because they were lived virtuous life. Several authors
contend that during the time when Vedas were taking
shape, a number of elements, which had subsequently
entered in Jain religion, were already known. This is
confirmed by the fact that monks are called arahans or
arahatas in Rigveda and Atharva Veda.

4.The Vatarshana Munis

Rishabhadeva has been described as the incarnation of

Vishnu for the establishment of the religion of Vatarashana
Munis. “These Munis appeared pisanga (Pingalavarna)
because they were indifferent to bathing, even though they
were Maladhari that is unclean, due to sweat etc. They
used to remain silent and looked wild owing to their
meditative practices. By controlling breathing (by means of
pranayama) they used to attain to godhood. The mortal
world could only see their external bodies, not their inner
soul”:
मुनयो वातरशना पिशंगा वसते मला:
वातस्यानु थ्ांजिं यंपत यद्दैत्रासो अपवक्षत्:
उन्मपतदा मौनयेन वातां िंा तास्थैमा वयम्
शरीरे दस्माकं युयं मतांसो अपभ िश्यथ (ऋग््वेद, १०, १३६, २)

Dr. Hiralal Jain has explained” They are Munis and their
ways of renunciation, silence and non- attachment
distinguish them from the Rishi tradition. But a new word
Vatarashana is connected with them. Vata means air and
vashana means girdle or waistband. Therefore the
meaning is air-cloth or one whose clothing is air, that is,
naked. This is not a new term for the Jain tradition, and it
occurs in Jina sahasranama – Thousand names for Jina-
Thus: -

“According to this Vatarashana, Digvasa, Nigganthas and

Digambara, all these are synonymous terms and indicate
a naked or nude state, So it can be concluded that at the
time of the Rigveda composition such munis were in
existence who used to go about naked and who were
revered as gods in the Rishi tradition and were eulogized
and worshipped.
5. The Vratya Tradition

In Atharva Veda 15th chapter there is a description of

Vratyas who are said to be unversed in Vedic tradition and
ritual and belonging to Licchavi, Natha and Malla clans.

Dr. Guseva, the Russian scholar in her ethnological

monograph Jainism states:

“Ancient Indian literature contains indications of the deep

antiquity of the sources of Jainism and it also indicates
that the Ksatriyas and ascetics from Vratyas i.e. non-
Aryans played noticeable role in establishing non-Vedic
teachings.

The word JAINISM is derived from JIN which means

conqueror - One who has conquered his passion and
desires, love and hate, pleasure and pain, attachment and
aversion, and has thereby freed his soul from the
karmas obscuring knowledge, perception, truth, and
ability. In this respect Jain Dharma/ Jainism is self-
originated. Any One does not found it. The tradition of
Jain religion is propounded by such conquerors/
Tirthankaras. According to Jain philosophy, all
Tirthankaras / Arihants / Siddhas/ Jinas were born as
human beings but they attained a state of perfection or
enlightenment through meditation and self- realization or
atmadarshan.

There is no doubt that Jainism prevailed before Bhagwaan

Mahavira.

Dr. Hermann Jacobi believes that "Jainism goes back to a

very early period, and to primitive currents of religious and
metaphysical speculation, which gave rise to the oldest
Indian philosophies. Critical and comparative study has
brought to light several words like ‘Asrava’, `Samvara’ etc.,
which have been used by Jains in the original sense but
which have been mentioned in Buddhist Literature in
figurative sense. On the basis of these words, Dr. Jacobi
has concluded that Jainism is much older than the religion
of Buddha and therefore it is incorrect to imagine Jainism
as the offshoot of Buddhism.

Dr. A. N. Upadhye remarked:

“The origins of Jainism go back to the pre-historic times.

They are to be sought in the fertile valley of Ganga, where
they flourished in the past, even before the advent of
Aryans with their priestly religion, a society of recluses
who laid much stress on individual exertion, on practice of
a code of morality and devotion to austerities, as means of
attaining religious Summum Bonum.”

German Indologist Heinrich Zimmer agreed that there is

truth in the Jain idea that their religion goes back to a
remote antiquity, the antiquity in question being that of the
pre-Aryan, so called Dravidian period, and that Jainism is
the oldest of all Dravidian born philosophies and religions.

Noel Retting, another Indologist, writes, "Only in Jainism,

of all the living religions, do we see a fusion of the
primitive with the profound. It has preserved elements
from the first stage of man's religious awareness, animism.
It affirms the separateness of spirit from matter, even
though our modern philosophers and religionists regard
neither form of dualism as untenable. Despite the opinion
of these men, Jainism is fundamentally scientific. And, it
may very well be, contrary to the opinions of many
anthropologists and students of comparative religion, the
oldest living faith."

Professor L. P. Tessitory is of opinion that "Jainism is of a

very high order. Its important teachings are based upon
science. The more the scientific knowledge advances the
more the Jain teachings will be proven".

In fact, the Jain system of thought is so wonderfully

consistent with modern realism and science. Dr. Walther
Schubring observes, "He who has a thorough knowledge
of the structure of the world cannot but admire the inward
logic and harmony of Jain ideas. Hand in hand with the
refined cosmographical ideas goes a high standard of
astronomy and mathematics."
The Pre-Aryan aspects of the Jain tradition can be traced
to Indus Valley civilization, which flourished six to eight
thousand years ago. Nude standing images found in the
Indus Valley ruins bear a striking resemblance to the
oldest Jain sculpture. There may be a link in the bull seals
of Indus and the bull lancchana of Rishabhanatha. It is
significant as various scholars have suggested that the
nude standing images in the Indus Valley in a typical Jain
ascetic Yogic pose Kayotsarga bear a striking
resemblance to the oldest Jaina sculptures, and further
that there is a link between the Indus bull-seals and the
bull insignia (lancchana) of Rishabha. . In the Adi Purana
Book XV III, Kayotsarga posture is described in
connection with the penance of Rishabha or Vrashabha,”

In his Indus Civilization and Hindu Culture, the eminent

scholar, P. R. Deshmukh says:” The first Jain Tirthankar
belonged to Indus civilization. The Indus Valley deities
were nude. The Jains sustained that culture and
worshipped nude Tirthankaras”.
The opinion of Dr.Guseva is notable: “ --- in those times
followers of Jainism were, in the main, representatives of
pre-Aryan population of the country. This means that there
is basis to assert that the chief components of this non
Vedic religion were engendered by non Aryan ethnical
environment.”

Dr. S. Radhakrishnan affirms, “The Bhagavata Purana

endorses the view that Rishabha was the founder of
Jainism. There is evidence to show that so far back as the
first century B.C. there were people who were worshipping
Rishabhadeva, the first Tirthankar. There is no doubt that
Jainism prevailed even before Vardhamana Mahavira, or
Parsvanatha. The Yajurveda mentions the names of three
Tirthankaras, Rishabha, Ajitnath and Aristanemi” (Indian
Philosophy, P.287)

Historicity of First Tirthankar

The idea of Rishabha Tirthankar being an epoch-making

man is deep-rooted in the Jaina scriptures. He was the
son of the fourteenth Kulakara or Manu known as Nabhi.
He is also known as Adinath. Rishabha inaugurated the
karmabhumi and pioneered human civilisation and culture.

Rishabha was the first preacher of the ahimsa dharma, the

first Tirthankar or ford-maker to the path of liberation
according to Jain Sramanic path of purification and
liberation. He attained nirvana on the summit of Mount
Kailasa in Tibet.

P. C. Roy Choudhury states in his Jainism in Bihar;” Not

much research is possible in the pre-historical age as to
the role Bihar played in the story of Jainism. But some of
the ancient Jain scriptures mention that Jainism had been
preached in Magadha (Bihar) by Lord Rishabha at the end
of Stone Age and the beginning of the agricultural age. At
the remote period Magadha was separated from the rest
of India by Ganga-sagar. The ancient history of Nepal
bears this out”. (P.7)

The point to be noted is that there is a consistent tradition

found in the Jaina religious literature and also in the
Itihasa-Purana Brahmanic lore from earliest time of
invoking Rishabhadeva as Rudra or Shiva.

It is in this context it is important to consider the definite

opinion of Sir Marshall that the Vedic Aryans adopted
Shiva worship (Shiva, Pashupati, Rudra) from Indus valley
civilisation. It is significantly suggested by the various
scholars that the nude standing images in the Indus Valley
in a typically Jain Sramanic yogic pose-Kayotsarga-
abandonment of the body in meditation- bears a striking
resemblance to the oldest Jain sculpture and further that
there is a link between the Indus bull seals and the bull
insignia (lancchana) of Rishabha.

From Vedic times the alternative names or designations

for Rishabha dev have been: Digambara, Digvasa,
Tapomaya, Charukesha, Shanta, Akshobhya, Ahimsa,
Jnani, Kapardi, and Jati. These are such attributes as
become perfectly applicable in their meaning to Rishabha
Tirthankar. The characteristic mark of Shankar as found in
Jaina creations and images known as Triratna which is
found clearly marked in the cave of Sarata Kharavelaat
Udaigiri in Orissa. It is found marked in the ancient images
of Rishabha and other Tirthankaras.

The arch-form of this symbol is found in the sign of tri-horn

on the Indus Valley seal images. It should not be
surprising if the same mark evolved later as a phase of
moon, Om, swastika and the cross of Christianity as well
as the mood and the star of Islam as noted by Dr.Hiralal
Jain.

The disciples of Shiva are collectively called Gana, whose

leader is called Ganapati and Ganesh. The group of
munisor disciples established by Rishabha is also called
Gana and its leader, the chief disciple, is called
Gandharva. The tradition of Gana and Gandharvais found
unbroken till the last Tirthankar, Mahavira. Such parallels
and spiritual affinities since pre-historic times between
Rishabha and Shiva show unmistakably that Jainism and
its first profounder have been the precursor of the later
Shiva doctrine.
The most notable example of the fusion and synthesis of
not only the Jaina, Shiva, but also the Brahmanic, Vedic,
Buddhist and other Indian philosophies are found in the
great Himalayan centre of pilgrimage, Badrinatha or Badri
Vishala. In the Badri Vishala temple the following stotra is
recited in the daily worship:

यं शैवा समुिासते पशव इपत ब्रम्हेपत वेदांपतन्:

बौध्दा बुध्द इपत प्रमाणिटव:कत्रैपत नैयापयका
अर्ह्न्नित्यथ िंैनशासनरता: कमेपत मीमांसका:
सो&यं वो पवदधातु वांपितफलम त्रैलोक्यनाथो प्रभु: (हनुमिाटक)

Meaning: “One who is revered as Shiva by the Shaivas, as

Brahma by the Vedantins,as Buddha by the Buddhists, as
the Cause by the Naiyayikas, Arahan by the Jains, Karma
by the Mimamsakas, such god of the three worlds may
grant us our longed for fruits.” This illustrates how the
Badrinatha embodies the true secular synthesis of India.

India Known As Bharatvarsha After Bharata Son Of

Rishabha:

Dr. Hiralal Jain has stated:

“But they have ignored other mentions in the same Purana
and elsewhere about Rishabha son Bharata….For this
opinion the necessary testimonials have not been
adduced. Probably these cannot be anything else than the
slokas quoted above. But the fact that in the same Purana
it is clearly mentioned elsewhere that the name
Bharatvarsha was given by Rishabha son Bharat, and that
the word “ Desha” or “ Varsha” does not occur with
Dushyanta’s son Bharata, does not appear to have been
considered carefully by these scholars before asserting
their opinion”

In the Purana it is clearly mentioned:

ऋषभो मरुदेव्याश्च ऋषभात भरतो भवेत्

भरताद भारतं वषं, भरतात सुमपतस्त्वभूत्

That is “Rishabha was born to Marudevi, Bharat was born

to Rishabha, Bharatvarsha (India) arose from Bharat, and
Sumati arose from Bharat.”

Historicity of twenty-second Tirthankar

Besides Rishabhadeva, Neminatha has also been
mentioned as the Tirthankar of the Jains. He is said to be
the twenty-second Tirthankar.

Neminatha is connected with the legend of Sri Krishna as

his relative. According to the TrilokpuruS charit, he was a
cousin of Lord Krishna who negotiated his marriage with
Rajamati, daughter of Ugrasena, but Neminatha, taking
compassion on the animals which were to be slaughtered
in connection with the marriage feast, left the marriage
procession suddenly and renounced the world. He then
left Dwarika and proceeded to a garden called
Sahasramarvana on the mount Raivataka, where he
practiced asceticism and attained salvation. According to
the Kalpasutra, he lived up to the age of 1,000 years.

The Chandogya UpaniSad refers to Krishna, son of

Devaki, as a disciple of Ghora Angirasa who instructed
him about Tapas (austerity), Dana (charity), Aarjava
(simplicity or piety), Ahimsa (non-injury) and
Satyavachana (truthfulness) - virtues which are extolled by
Krishna in the Gita. According to Jain tradition Bhagwaan
Krishna was contemporary of Tirthankar Neminatha who
preceded Parsvanatha.

Historicity of twenty-third Tirthankar (Parsvanatha as an

Historic Figure)

H. Jacobi and others have proved on the authority of both

the Jaina and the Buddhist records that Parsvanatha was
an historical personage. (Sbe, XLV, pp. xx-xxiii.) Their
arguments are as follows:

1. In the Buddhist scriptures, there is a reference to the

four vows (Chaturyama Dharma) of Parsvanatha.
The Buddhists could not have used the term
Chaturyama Dharma for the Nigganthas unless they
had heard it from the followers of Parsvanatha. This
proves the correctness of the Jaina tradition that the
followers of Parsvanatha, in fact, existed at the time
of Mahavira.
2. The Nigganthas were an important sect at the time of
the rise of Buddhism, as may be inferred from the
fact that they are frequently mentioned in the PiTakas
as opponents of Buddha and his disciples. This is
further supported by another fact. Mankhali GoSala, a
contemporary of Buddha and Mahavira, divided
 mankind into six classes, and of these, the third class
contained the Nigganthas. GoSala, probably, would
not have ranked them as a separate class of mankind
if they had recently come into existence. He
must have regarded them as members of a very
important and at the same time an old sect.
3. The Majjhima Nikaya records a dispute between
Buddha and Sakdal, the son of a Nirgrantha. Sakdal
was not himself a Nirgrantha. Now, when a famous
controversialist, whose father was a Nirgrantha, was a
contemporary of Buddha, the Nirgrantha sect could
scarcely have been founded during Buddha's life-
time.
4. The existence of Parsva's Order in Mahavira time is
proved by the reported disputes between the
followers of Parsvanatha and those of Mahavira. The
followers of Parsvanatha, who did not fully recognize
Mahavira as their spiritual guide, existed during
Mahavira life-time. A sort of compromise has been
affected between the two sections of the Jaina
Sangha.

These arguments clearly show that Parsvanatha was a

real historical figure. Very few facts of his life are,
however, known. The Kalpasutra informs us that Parshva
was the son of king Ashvasena of Varanasi (Banaras) and
queen Vama.
Many legends have gathered round Parshva. Throughout
his life, he was connected with ‘snakes’ in one way or the
other. In his childhood, for instance, while he lay by the
side of his mother, a serpent was seen crawling about.
When he grew up, he saved a serpent from the grave
danger it was in. He also saved a poor terrified snake
which had taken shelter in a log of wood to which a
Brahmanic ascetic had set fire. After its death, the snake
became God Dharanendra who spread a serpent's hood
over Parshva.

According to Svetambaras, Parshva was married to

Prabhavati, the daughter of Prasenajit the king of
Kaushala. But according to Digambaras, Parshva was
unmarried. He lived for thirty years in great splendor and
happiness as a householder, and then, forsaking all his
wealth, became an ascetic. After 84 days of intense
meditation, he attained the perfect knowledge of a
Tirthankar, and from that time, he lived for about seventy
years in the state of most exalted perfection and
sainthood. At last, he attained NirvaaNa22 (liberation) in
777 B.C. on the summit of Mount Sammed shikhara, now
named Parsvanatha hill after him.

A man of practical nature, Parsvanatha was remarkable

for his organizing capacity. He organized the Sangha
(Organization) efficiently for the propagation of Jainism.
He is said to have visited many cities for the dissemination
of Jainism.

The Jaina Sutras and the early Buddhist texts enlighten us

about the doctrines and followers of Parsvanatha. The
religious order founded by him was reputed for a high and
rigid standard of conduct. He made four moral precepts
binding upon his followers, precepts, which were later,
enforced by Mahavira and Buddha upon their followers.
His rules were not confined only to these four precepts but
they embraced many other rules laid down for the practical
guidance of the fraternity and laity.

The Uttaradhyayana Sutra furnishes a dialogue, which

sheds abundant light on this obscure point. The
interlocutors are the two leading representatives of the
Nigganthas Order of the time. Kasha, a follower of
Parsvanatha rule, asks Gautama, who was one of the
chief disciples of Mahavira: "When the four precepts
promulgated by the great sage Parsvanatha, are equally
binding upon the two orders, what is the cause of
difference between us?" "Wisdom" replies Gautama,
"recognizes the truth of the law and the ascertainment of
true things. The earlier saints were simple but slow of
understanding, the last saints, prevaricating and slow of
understanding, those between the two, simple and wise;
hence there are two forms of the Law.

About the teachings of Parsvanatha, it must be admitted,

we have no exact knowledge. His religion was, however,
meant for one and all without any distinction of caste or
creed. He allowed women to enter his Order. He laid
stress on the doctrine of Ahimsa. According to him, strict
asceticism was the only way to attain salvation.
Fundamentally, the doctrines of Parsvanatha and
Mahavira were the same. Parsvanatha preached four
vows instead of five. According to H. Jacobi, the Order of
Parsvanatha seems to have undergone some changes in
the period between the Nirvana of Parsvanatha and the
advent of Mahavira.

Parsvanatha enjoined on his followers four great vows: (1)

Abstinence from killing living beings; (2) Avoidance of
falsehood; (3) Avoidance of theft, and (4) Freedom from
possessions. H. Jacobi has clearly perceived that a
doctrine attributed to Mahavira in the Buddhist Literature,
properly belonged to his predecessor, Parsvanatha,
insofar as the expression Chaturyama Samvara is
concerned. (Sbe, XLV, pp. xix-xxii.) The doctrine is that,
according to Mahavira, the way to self-possession, self-
command, and imperturbability consists of 'a four-fold self-
restraint', such as restraint in regard to all things, restraint
in regard to all evil, and restraints imposed for the
purification of sin and feeling a sense of ease on that
account. (Die, II, pp. 74-75.)

Parsvanatha had a large number of followers around

Magadha even in the days of Mahavira. Mahavira parents,
who belonged to the Kshatriyas, were worshippers of
Parsvanatha (Aachaaraang, II, 15-16.) Following the
teachings of Parsvanatha, they peacefully died practicing
slow starvation Sallekhana. The Uttaradhyayana Sutra
relates a meeting between Keshi and Gautama as
representatives of the two Jaina Orders, the old and the
new. (Uttaradhyayan, 23, pp. 119-129.) The Bhagavati
Sutra refers to a dispute between a follower of
Parsvanatha and a disciple of Mahavira. (Bhag, I, 76.) The
Bhagavati Sutra refers to Gangeya, a follower of
Parsvanatha (Bhag, IX. 32). A follower of Parsvanatha
named Udaka met Gautama, the first GaNdhara of
Mahavira. Gautama was successful in winning over Udaka
to his side. (Sutra, II 7.) From the dialogue between Udaka
and Gautama, it appears that the followers of Parsvanatha
and the disciples of Mahavira were respectively known as
the Nirgrantha Kumaraputtas and the Nirgrantha
Nathaputtas.

Mahavira was an elder contemporary of Buddha? As a

matter of a fact, Buddhist literature and history establish
that after he had renounced the world Buddha was for
some time an ascetic following the Jain cult of
Parsvanatha, the 23rd Tirthankar whose death took place
250 Years before Mahavira.

About 2600 years ago Lord Mahavira or Vardhamana (599

to 527 BC), the twenty fourth and the last Tirthankar of this
era revived the Jain philosophy previously preached by his
predecessor Lord Parshva (950 to 850 BC) in India. He
expanded the code of conducts and implemented daily
rites for his followers. He felt that such changes are
essential for proper religious practice. The present Jain
scriptures reflect only his teachings. Thus Mahavira was
more of a reformer and propagator of an existing religious
order than the founder of a new faith. He followed the well-
established creed of his predecessor Tirthankaras.

Jainism does not believe in any divinity as the creator of

this universe because according to Jain cosmology and
metaphysics the world is beginning less and endless, and
each human being, by the dint of his own ethical discipline
as laid down in Jainism, that is, Ratnatraya Dharma-Sam
yak Darshana, Samyag Jnana, Sam yak Charitra –Right
perception, Right knowledge and Right conduct- can attain
liberation without the intervention of any deity.

Thus, one may sum up, the antiquity of Jainism in the

words of Hermann Jacobi:

“In conclusion let me assert my conviction that Jainism is

an original system, quite distinct, and independent from all
others.