Template:Infobox religious biography
Template:Jainism
Ācārya Bhadrabāhu (c. 367 – c. 298 BC) was, according to the Digambara sect of Jainism, the last Shruta Kevalin (all knowing by hearsay, that is indirectly) in Jainism .[1][2] He was the last acharya of the undivided Jain sangha. He was the spiritual teacher of Chandragupta Maurya, the founder of the Maurya Empire.Template:Sfn
According to the Digambara sect of Jainism, there were five Shruta Kevalins in Jainism – Govarddhana Mahamuni, Vishnu, Nandimitra, Aparajita and Bhadrabahu.Template:Sfn
Early life
Bhadrabahu was born in Pundravardhana (roughly equivalent to modern North Bengal[3]) to a Brahmin family[4] during which time the secondary capital of the Mauryas was Ujjain. When he was seven, Govarddhana Mahamuni predicted that he will be the last Shruta Kevali and took him along for his initial education.Template:Sfn According to Śvētāmbara tradition, he lived from 433 BC to 357 BC.Template:Sfn Digambara tradition dates him to have died in 365 BC.Template:Sfn Natubhai Shah dated him from 322 to 243 BC.Template:Sfn
Yasobhadra (351-235 BC), leader of the religious order reorganised by Mahavira, had two principle disciples, Sambhutavijaya (347-257 BC) and Bhadrabahu.Template:Sfn After his death the religious order was divided in two lineages lead by Sambhutivijaya and Bhadrabahu.Template:Sfn
Ascetic life & Explanation of Sixteen Dreams of Chandragupta
On the night of full moon in the month of Kartik, Chandragupta Maurya (founder and ruler of Maurya Empire) saw sixteen dreams, which were then explained to him by Acharya Bhadrabahu.Template:Sfn
| S. No. | Dream of Chandragupta | Explanation by Bhadrabahu |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The sun setting | All the knowledge will be darkened |
| 2 | A branch of the Kalpavriksha break off and fall | Decline of Jainism and Chandragupta's successors won't be initiated |
| 3 | A divine car descending in the sky and returning | The heavenly beings will not visit Bharata Kshetra |
| 4 | The disk of the moon sundered | Jainism will be split into two sects |
| 5 | Black elephants fighting | Lesser rains and poorer crops |
| 6 | Fireflies shining in the twilight | True knowledge will be lost, few sparks will glimmer with feeble light |
| 7 | A dried up lake | Aryakhanda will be destitute of Jain doctrines and falsehood will increase |
| 8 | Smoke filling all the air | Evil will start to prevail and goodness will be hidden |
| 9 | An ape sitting on a throne | Vile, low-born, wicked will acquire power |
| 10 | A dog eating the payasa out of a golden bowl | Kings, not content with a sixth share, will introduce land-rent and oppress their subjects by increasing it |
| 11 | Young bulls labouring | Young will form religious purposes, but forsake them when old |
| 12 | Kshatriya boys riding donkeys | Kings of high descent will associate with the base |
| 13 | Monkeys scaring away swans | The low will torment the noble and try to reduce them to same level |
| 14 | Calves jumping over the sea | King will assist in oppressing the people by levying unlawful taxes |
| 15 | Foxes pursuing old oxen | The low, with hollow compliments, will get rid of the noble, the good and the wise |
| 16 | A twelve-headed serpent approaching | Twelve year of death and famine will come upon this landTemplate:Sfn |
Bhadrabahu was in Nepal for a 12-year penitential vow when the Pataliputra conference took place in 300 BC to put together the Jain canon anew. Bhadrabahu decided the famine would make it harder for monks to survive and migrated with a group of twelve thousand disciples to South India,Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn bringing with him Chandragupta, turned Digambar monk.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn
According to the inscriptions at Shravanabelgola, Bhadrabahu died after taking the vow of sallekhana (Fast until death).Template:Sfn
Works
According to Svetambaras, Bhadrabahu was the author of Kalpa Sūtra,Template:Sfn four Chedda sutras, commentaries on ten scriptures, Bhadrabahu Samhita and Vasudevcharita.Template:Sfn[4]
Legacy
Bhadrabahu was the last acharya of the undivided Jain sangha. After him, the Sangha split into two separate teacher-student lineages of monks. Digambara monks belong to the lineage of Acharya Vishakha and Svetambara monks follow the tradition of Acharya Sthulabhadra.Template:Sfn Kalpasutra mentions Godasa as his chief disciple who founded Godasa Gana.Template:Sfn
Regarding the inscriptions describing the relation of Bhadrabahu and Chandragupta Maurya, Radha Kumud Mookerji writes,Template:Blockquote
Bhadrabahu-charitra was written by Ratnanandi of about 1450 AD.Template:Sfn
References
Citations
- ↑ Hemachandra The Lives of Jain Elders{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Oxford University Press, Oxford World Classics(1998). ISBN 0-19-283227-1
- ↑ Jainism, a Concise Encyclopedia{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Manohar Publishers and Distributors(2009). ISBN 978-81-7304-312-3
- ↑ History of Ancient Bengal{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. G.Bharadwaj & Co.(1971)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Cite error: Invalid
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Sources
- The Jains. Routledge(2002).
- Chandragupta Maurya and his times. Motilal Banarsidass.
- Epigraphia Carnatica: Rev. ed{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Mysore Government Central Press(1889)
- The Sacred Sravana-Belagola: A Socio-religious study. Bharatiya Jnanpith(1981).
- Facets of Jainology: Selected Research Papers on Jain Society, Religion, and Culture. Popular Prakashan.
- [[[:Template:Google books]] Jainism: The World of Conquerors]. Motilal Banarsidass(2004).
- The a to Z of Jainism. Scarecrow Press(16 July 2009).
- A History of Indian Logic: Ancient, Mediaeval and Modern Schools. Motilal Banarsidass(2006).
- [[[:Template:Google books]] Studies in Jaina Art and Iconography and Allied Subjects]. The Director, Oriental Institute, on behalf of the Registrar, M.S. University of Baroda, Vadodara.
External links
Template:Jain Gurus Template:Jainism topics Template:Authority control