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Sivabhuti

Sivabhuti was a Jain monk in the 1st century AD who is regarded as the founder of the Digambara tradition in 82 AD,[1][2][3][4] according to the 5th-century Śvetāmbara text Avashyak Bhashya, written by Jinabhadra. Little is known about him apart from a single story mentioned in this ancient Śvetāmbara text.[5] Among several works on Jainism, The Jains,[6] a book by Paul Dundas, mentions him and the story. However, the historical authenticity of his existence or the truthfulness of the story has not been verified.

Sivabhuti
Personal
ReligionJainism
SectŚvetāmbara, later Digambara

Background

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Śvetāmbara texts accuse Sivabhuti of starting the Digambara tradition with "eight concealments,"[7][8] which involve the rejection of Jain texts followed and preserved by the Śvetāmbaras.[9] These texts openly and directly accuse him of gravely misunderstanding scriptures and traditional Jain ideologies regarding the draping of clothes and stree nirvana (the attainment of liberation or nirvana by women).[9]

Story of Creation of Digambara Sect

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According to the Śvetāmbaras, the Digambara sect was formed by a rebellious monk named Sivabhuti in 82 AD.[10] This claim is based on the scripture Avashyak Bhashya, composed by Acharya Jinbhadragani Kshamashraman. Other important Śvetāmbara scriptures, such as Vijaylakshmisuri's Upadesh Prasad,[11] and Kupaksha Kaushika Sahasra Kiran Aparnam Pravachan Pariksha,[12] also mention him. Another Śvetāmbara work, Nihnavavad,[13] mentions him as well.

The story states that about 609 years after Mahavira attained nirvana,[14][15] there was a city called Rathavirapur[16] near present-day Mathura. A layperson named Sivabhuti lived there and worked for King Sinharath. He had earned several accolades for his service to the king.[8][17] As a result, he became proud and often stayed out late at night. Once, his wife complained to his mother. To teach him a lesson, his mother asked him to leave and go somewhere else. Wandering, he entered Arya Krishnasuri's[5] upashray (dwelling). After taking alochna (repentance) from Acharya Krishnasuri, he requested to become a monk. Sivabhuti was then initiated as a monk.[9]

One day, while wandering as a monk, Sivabhuti arrived at Rathavirapur.[18] On hearing about his arrival, the king gifted him a shawl (ratna-kambal).[19] The shawl was a precious possession, but such a thing was totally against the Jain principle (vow) of Aparigraha. His preceptor, Acharya Krishnasuri, tried to explain this to him, but to no avail. The acharya tore the shawl, which did not sit well with Sivabhuti. He protested, stating that if the shawl was a possession, then so were clothes. He adopted nudity immediately. Two monks, Kaundinya and Kottavira, joined him as disciples,[20] marking the beginning of the Digambara sect. He preached that Moksha could be attained only through complete non-possession, including clothes.[21]

Śvetāmbaras believe he had heard his preceptor talk about jinkalpa (a way of attaining liberation by giving up all possessions, including clothes). However, he heard him mention that this practice had become extinct after Ganadhar Jambuswami. Based on his limited knowledge of scriptures, he rebelliously started imitating the Tirthankars and preaching that public nudity, even with incomplete and insufficient knowledge of the scriptures, was permitted in Jainism.[9] This was in contradiction to major Śvetāmbara texts like the Ācārāṅga Sūtra and the Uttaradhyayana Sutra.

The scripture also states that Uttara, Sivabhuti's sister, adopted nudity and joined him.[21] However, society thought of her as a prostitute, so Sivabhuti prevented nuns from staying nude.[21] The courtesans of the town believed that nobody would come to them if they saw women in such a state.[22][23] A condition was enforced that since women possess clothes in the Digambara tradition, they are not fit to attain Moksha or liberation.[24] This aligns with the current-day Digambara belief regarding women attaining salvation.[23]

Citations

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  1. ^ Rao, B. S. L. Hanumantha (1973). Religion in Āndhra: A Survey of Religious Developments in Āndhra from Early Times Upto A.D. 1325. Welcome Press.
  2. ^ Murti, D. Bhaskara (2004). Prāsādam: Recent Researches on Archaeology, Art, Architecture, and Culture : Professor B. Rajendra Prasad Festschrift. Harman Publishing House. ISBN 978-81-86622-67-4.
  3. ^ Bhandarkar, Sir Ramkrishna Gopal (1927). Collected Works of Sir R. G. Bhandarkar: Miscellaneous articles, reviews, addresses &c. Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute.
  4. ^ Hastings, James; Selbie, John Alexander (1914). Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics: Confirmation-Drama. T. & T. Clark. ISBN 978-0-567-06509-4.
  5. ^ a b Dundas, Paul (2018-12-07). History, Scripture and Controversy in a Medieval Jain Sect. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-135-53135-5.
  6. ^ Dundas 2002, pp. 46–48.
  7. ^ Sogani, Kamal Chand (1967). Ethical Doctrines in Jainism. Lalchand Hirachand Doshi; [copies can be had from Jaina Saṁskṛti Saṁrakshaka Sangha].
  8. ^ a b Devendra (Muni.) (1995). Jaina Conduct. Prakrit Bharati Academy.
  9. ^ a b c d Dundas 2002, pp. 46.
  10. ^ Paszkiewicz, Joshua R. (2024-05-07). Indian Spirituality: An Exploration of Hindu, Jain, Buddhist, and Sikh Traditions. Wellfleet Press. ISBN 978-1-57715-425-9.
  11. ^ Vijaylakshmisuri, Acharya. "Upadesh Prasad".
  12. ^ Dharmasagarsuri, Acharya. "Kupaksha Kaushik Sahasra Kiran Aparnam Pravachan Pariksha".
  13. ^ Dahyalal Mehta, Dhirajlal. "Nihnavad".
  14. ^ Singhi, Narendra Kumar (1987). Ideal, Ideology & Practice: Studies in Jainism. Printwell Publishers. ISBN 978-81-7044-042-0.
  15. ^ Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain & Ireland. 1905.
  16. ^ India, Archaeological Survey of (1928). Annual Report. Superintendent of Government Printing.
  17. ^ Institute, Deccan College Post-graduate and Research (1954). Bulletin of the Deccan College Research Institute. Dr. A. M. Ghatage, director, Deccan College Postgraduate and Research Institute.
  18. ^ Bakshi, Shiri Ram; Mahajan, Lipi (2000). Religions of India. Deep & Deep Publications. ISBN 978-81-7629-229-0.
  19. ^ Hastings, James; Selbie, John Alexander (1922). Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics: Suffering-Zwingli. T. & T. Clark. ISBN 978-0-567-06509-4.
  20. ^ Shah, Umakant Premanand (1987). Jaina-rūpa-maṇḍana. Abhinav Publications. ISBN 978-81-7017-208-6.
  21. ^ a b c Dundas 2002, pp. 47.
  22. ^ Roy, Ashim Kumar (1984). A History of the Jainas. Gitanjali Publishing House. ISBN 978-0-8364-1136-2.
  23. ^ a b Nagraj, Muni (1986). Āgama Aura Tripiṭaka, Eka Anuśilana: Language and Literature. Concept Publishing Company. ISBN 978-81-7022-731-1.
  24. ^ Bombay, Anthropological Society of (1928). Journal ... Anthropological Society of Bombay.

References

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