History of Philosophy: Mahavira
By Unknown 11th century sculptor - Seattle Art Museum: https://art.seattleartmuseum.org/objects/21127/mahavira, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=170809462
Living sometime between 599-510 BCE, Vardhamāna also known as Mahāvīra, was a religious reformer who founded Jainism, or perhaps revived and reformed 'an earlier Jain or proto-Jain community, which likely had been led by Pārśvanātha, whom Jains consider to be Mahavira's predecessor', though exactly when he lived or where he was born has been 'expanded and evolved over a long period of time', though it 'can be said with confidence' that he lived, 'this still leaves us with relatively little to go on in terms of information that would pass the muster of contemporary historical methods, […] whatever historical truth may be in these scriptures, they are not "historical" texts in the modern sense, Nor is there apparent intent, spiritual instruction being their aim'. He taught 'attainment of samyak darshan or self realization (atma-anubhuti) through the practice of bhedvijnāna, which involves positioning oneself as a pure soul, separate from body, mind and emotions, and being aware of the soul's true nature; and to remain grounded and steadfast in soul's unchanging essence during varying auspicious or inauspicious external circumstances' through the 'vows of ahimsa (non-violence), satya (truth), asteya (non-stealing), brahmacharya (chastity), and aparigraha (non-attachment)'.
According to Jains' beliefs, Mahavira was the 24th tirthankara, or supreme preacher or founder, who 'espoused Jainism', being the 'spiritual successor' of Parshvanatha and 'ultimate leader of shraman sangha' or community of those who toil for a higher religious purpose. He was born to a royal family, his father King Siddhartha of the Nāya tribe and his mother Queen Trishala of the Licchavi republic, somewhere near Vaishali, probably in modern day Bihar in the Indo-Gangetic Plain of northern India, and was his 28th birth, the previous including 'a denizen of hell, a lion, and a god (deva) in a heavenly realm just before his last birth as the 24th tirthankara'. He grew up as a prince and his parents were 'lay devotees of Parshvanatha'.
Traditions vary as to whether he married or not, though they agree he renounced 'royal life and left his home and family to live an ascetic life in the pursuit of spiritual awakening' at the age of thirty. He fasted and 'undertook…bodily mortifications' while meditating under the Ashoka tree, and then discarded his clothes. He 'achieved Kevala Jnana (omniscience, or infinite knowledge) under a Sāla tree on the bank of the River Rijuvalika near Jrimbhikagrama at age 43 after twelve years of rigorous penance…as well as all-seeing', being 'free from the eighteen imperfections when he attained omniscience' and then 'traveled throughout India to teach his philosophy for thirty years after attaining omniscience', though others sources say he remained in Samavasarana, the divine preaching hall of Tirthankara. He gained eleven Brahmans, disciples known as Ganadharas, who 'are believed to have remembered and to have verbally transmitted Mahavira's teachings after his death', as well as '14,000 sadhus (male ascetic devotees), 36,000 sadhvis (female ascetics), 159,000 sravakas (male lay followers), and 318,000 sravikas (female lay followers)'. He is said to have 'initiated his mendicants [followers who rely chiefly or exclusively on alms to support] with the mahavratas (Five Vows)', those being 'Ahiṃsā (Non-violence), Satya (Truth), Asteya (Non-stealing), Brahmacharya (Chastity), Aparigraha (Non-possession)'.
Mahavira reached nirvana (or death) in Pawapuri in modern day Bihar, which is now commemorated by Jains as Diwali, celebrated at the same time as the Hindu Diwali. Some traditions hold that his nirvana was 'simple' while others recount a 'grandiose celebration attended by gods and kings'. Some traditions say that 'only the nails and hair of the tirthankaras are left behind; the rest of the body dissolves in the air like camphor', some accounts record that 'at age 72, as delivering his final preaching over a six-day period to a large group of people. The crowd falls asleep, awakening to find that he has disappeared (leaving only his nails and hair, which his followers cremate)'.
