Foundation of Religious Order

Dharma in the from of the spiritual values is eternal, it is self-existent; it cannot be created. This is an objective view-point. There is another point of view to describe dharma, viz. the empirical point of view. From this view-point, dharma, i.e., religious tradition need establishment and fostering for keeping them alive. This is achieved through the foundation of tirtha, i.e., religious organization or laying down the doctrines. Bhagavan Mahavira become the founder of religious tirth-tirthankar by establishing a religious order through propounding the doctrines of dharma. The eleven learned brahmins including Indrabhuti together with their own disciples were the first to become initiated as the members (monks) of this newly established religious order.

Initiation of Women : Bhagavan Mahavira propounded the Doctrine of soul (atman), according to which "soul" is the principle of the most fundamental point of consideration while evaluating any living being. Qualification of 'being a human being' was secondary in his view. Secondly, he was also a 'humanitarian' in the sense that he gave important only to the quality of 'being a human being ' he gave the least important to other consideration such as caste and sex.

Chandanabala expressed her wish to be initiated as a nun. There were a few other women with her. They too wanted to be initiated. Bhagavan Mahavira initiated all of them as nuns.

Twofold Dharma : Bhagavan Mahavira propounded two categories of dharma :

1. Anagara dharma- the religion of the monks and nuns.
2. Sagara dharma- the religion of the householders.

As a matter of fact religion is indivisible. The two fold religion taught by Bhagwan Mahavira referred to two categories of man and woman according to their propensities. One who has the spiritual strength to renounce his household life would accept the religion of the ascetic, comprising the five major vows. One who proposes to follow the path of spiritual discipline within the limitation of the household life would follow the religion of the householder comprising the anuvrata or the minor vows.

Men like Indrabhuti Gautama and women like Chandanabala accepted the religion of the ascetic, and many others accepted the religion of the householder. We know the names of the first monk and the first nun to be initiated, but not the names of first monk and first nun to be initiated, but not the names of the first sravaka (layman) and the first sranvika (laywoman) who accepted the religion of householder.

Bhagavan Mahavira had lived a solitary life during the period of his sadhana. He then had no disciples, no followers, Now he was not alone. He had discipline as well as followers. The tirth (religious order) has been established. According to the tradition, Bhagawan Mahavira founded a fourfold tirth comprising of the monks, the nuns, sravakas and sravikas. One may ask as to why Bhagavan Mahavira, even after attaining the omniscience, desired to found a tirtha-religious order. The word tirtha also means pravacana i.e., the fundamental doctrine of the dharma. The teachings propounded by one who has accomplished self-realization never fail. The teachings of Bhagavan Mahavira had the same effect. They got materialized into an organization-a religious order or tirtha. It kept these teaching intact and is even now preserving them.

The teaching of Bhagavan Mahavira are expression of Truth revealed by self-realization. They are rich in spiritual experience and express explicitly the great doctrine of anekanta or multifacetedness of Truth. The world pines for light whenever it find itself engulfed in the colossal darkness generated by the ever-existing problems of violence, fanaticism, conflict of opinions, dissension, wars, imbalance, disquiet, lust and craving. The teachings of Bhagavan Mahavira can serve as a beacon-light to the world. In the context of these ever-existing problems, the teaching of Bhagavan Mahavira are like the eternal, ever new and perennial source of light and guidance.

The Gospel of Anekanta : Indrabhuti Gautama was an erudite and versatile scholar having encyclopedic knowledge. But his knowledge resulted in turning him extremely self-conceited. It is a common saying that learning purges man of egotism and makes him humble. But it is a common experience that it creates a superiority complex and reduces humility in man. Which is true-the common saying or the common experience? The doctrine of anekanta would hold that both of them are true :

In the context of the spiritual learning, the former is found true, While in the context of the mundane knowledge, the latter hold good. No sooner did Indrabhuti enter the domain of the spiritual learning then his egotism evaporated, and he was filled with a sense of modesty. A new thirst for knowledge was awakened in him. He approached Bhagavan Mahavira and asked him enquiringly, "Bhagavan, what is Reality ?"

Bhagavan Mahavira replied, "Becoming". Gautama repeated his Question, "What is Reality ?" Bhagavan Mahavira replied, "Non-becoming." Gautama repeated his question again, "What is Reality ?" Bhagavan Mahavira replied, "Being."

Bhagavan Mahavira revealed to Gautama the basic formula of the theory of anekanta in the form of this triad becoming, i.e., coming into existence, non-becoming, i.e. ceasing to exist, and being, i.e., subsisting.

Thus he imparted to him the essence of his philosophy.

The enternalists held that reality is eternal, while the non-enternalists believed it to be transitory. Bhagavan Mahavira did not agree with either. According to him, there is nothing either absolutely transitory. He professed that the reality is a synthesis of eternity and transitoriness. Reality is transitory because it is possessed of becoming and non-becoming. But it is eternal because by its very nature, it is subsistent. The reality is a synthesis of becoming, non-becoming and being. Whatever is real must be possessed of becoming, non-becoming. But it is eternal because by its very nature, It is subsistent. The reality is a synthesis of becoming, non-coming and being. Whatever is real must be possessed of 'becoming', and 'non-becoming' as well as 'becoming' and 'non-becoming' bereft of being are absurdities.

In this discourse, Bhagavan Mahavira enlightened Gautama to comprehend the reality in the right perspective. This enlightenment enabled Gautama to perceive the reality.

Gautama imbibed the doctrine of anekanta on the basis of which he compiled Bhagawan Mahavira's teaching in the twelve angas (canons). The following are the twelve angas and their subjects :

1. Acaranga : Monasticism and spiritual discipline.
2. Sutrakrtanga : Monasticism and spiritual discipline.
3. Sthananga : It expound the above subjects in numerical sets of one to ten.
4. Samavayanga : It discusses in a numerical system the above subjects.
5. Bhagavati : Ontology and philosophy.
6. Jnatadharmakatha : Parables.
7. Upasakadasa : The acara or ethical conduct of the lay followers.
8. Antakrddasa : Narrations about people who have attained emancipation.
9. Anuttaropapatikadasa : Narrations about people born in the Anuttara Vimana, (the highest class of gods).
10. Prasnavyakarana : It discusses the five types of asravas (influx of karma) and samvara (cessation of asravas).
11. Vipaka : It deals with the effects of karma (action).
12. Drstivada : Naravidya (Science of perspectives).

Like Gautama many other scholors attended Bhagavan Mahavira's discourse. They also expressed their desire to know the nature of Reality. Bhagavfan Mahavira enlightened them with the philosophy of anekanta and sharpened their spiritual propensities. Just as they excelled in the Vedic and secular, so also they attained perfection in the knowledge propounded by the Arhats.

The Organization of The Monastic Order : Bhagavan Mahavira was the apostle of ahimsa (non-violence) and equality. Freedom is the concomitant result of ahimsa. Bhagavan Mahavira propounded the path of emancipation. This path comprises of spiritual discipline and self-control, but it is free from all kinds of regimentation Bhagavan Mahavira eschewed compulsion in the oraganization of the mosastic order. It was governed by self-discipline. It was divided into nine ganas or sub-division. Eleven ganadharas including Indrabhuti directed these sub-divisions. Seven sub-divisions had a single head each and the remaining two were governed by two ganadharas each.Akampita and Acalabhrata were the heads of the eighth, and Metarya and Prabhasa of the ninth.

The great nun, Chandanabala, headed the nun's order. Inspired by the teaching of Bhagavan Mahavira women belonging to all the castes, families and classes become initiated as the members of the order. Several queens of Srenika, the Emperor of Magadha, were initiated. Queens of other kings and wives of the feudal lords and merchant-princes also joined the order of nuns, The great nun Chandanabala, as the able leader of the nuns, efficiently guided them.

The Samgha (order) of Bhagavan Mahavira was devoted to all the three ways of Practicing religion-faith, knowledge and spiritual conduct. The administration of the order was in the charge of several authorities. The upadhyayas (perceptors) were responsible for the dissemination of knowledge. The pravartakas looked after the management. The ganavacchedakas looked after the spreading of the mission, and the development of the order. The sthaviras or the eldermen were responsible for the spiritual progress of the initiated monks as also for inculcating perseverance among them whenever they were smitten by impatience. The pravartinis looked after the nuns' affairs. Thus monks and nuns holding different posts fulfilled their responsibilities. The administration of the monastic order was run the republican system.

Bhagavan Mahavira effected a synthesis between the perspectives of pragmatic truth and objective truth. Some of the religious oranization. The result was that their organization become slock and then disintegrated. Those of the religious organizations which devoted themselves exclusively to pragmatic truth lost sight of objective truth that rendered their organization devoid of a spiritual basis. Bhagavan Mahavira was an exponent of both the aspects of truth- the objective as well as the pragmatic. Therefore the spiritual basis of his order remained intact as also his order remained well-established and superbly organized. This fact has been brought to light by the author of the Niryukti thus :

"If one wants to practise the religion of the Jina, he should keep in mind both kind of truth, the objective and the pragmatic. If you discard the former, you will be estranged from the truth and, if you discard the latter, you will be deprived of a well-organized religious Order".

It is one basis of this principle that the Jaina religious Order embodies even today both-the truth and a superb organization.

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Source : From Bhagavan Mahavira by Mr. Ganadhipati Tulsi

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