Sivabhuti

Śvetāmbara texts accuse Sivabhuti of starting the Digambara tradition with "eight concealments,"{{Cite book |last=Sogani |first=Kamal Chand |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3prRAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Sivabhuti%22+-wikipedia |title=Ethical Doctrines in Jainism |year=1967 |publisher=Lalchand Hirachand Doshi; [copies can be had from Jaina Saṁskṛti Saṁrakshaka Sangha] |language=en}} which involve the rejection of Jain texts followed and preserved by the Śvetāmbaras.{{sfn|Dundas|2002|pp=46}} 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).{{sfn|Dundas|2002|pp=46}}

Even though some scholars differ on the meaning of the word "Botika", most scholars agree on the view that the word "Botika" refers to the Digambaras. Albrecht Weber, a German Indologist, asserts that "Botika" refers to Digambaras.{{Cite web |last=Weber |first=Albrecht Friedrich |title=Sacred Literature of the Jains |url=https://jainqq.org/explore/520114/18}}{{Cite web |last=Weber |first=Albrecht Friedrich |title=Sacred Literature of the Jains (in Indian Antiquary Vol. 21) |url=https://jainqq.org/explore/032513/360}} Suzuko Ohira, a Japanese scholar, also describes this account of creation of the Digambara sect in his work titled "Study of Tattvarthasutra with Bhashya".{{Cite web |last=Ohira |first=Suzuko |title=Study of Tattvarthasutra with Bhasya |url=https://jainqq.org/explore/001578/140}}

Digambara scholars like Shivkant Dwivedi and Navneet Jain also endorse the view that "Botika" is synonymous to the "Digambaras".{{Cite web |last=Dwivedi |first=Shivkant |title=Sumati Jnana |url=https://jainqq.org/explore/012067/31}} A.N. Upadhye, a scholar of Jainism, described this account of the schism in his works.{{Cite web |last=Upadhye |first=A. N. |title=Jaina Bibliography Part 1 |url=https://jainqq.org/explore/016035/603}} Ratanchand Jain, a Digambara scholar, also holds the view that Sivabhuti was initially a Śvetāmbara monk and had later adopted nudity and other practices of the Digambara sect and that the Botika sect was the same as the modern-day Digambara sect.{{Cite web |last=Jain |first=Ratanchand |title=Jain Parampara aur Yapaniya Sangh Part 01 |url=https://jainqq.org/explore/004042/685}}

Occasionally, some Indian scholars have also linked Digambaras (Botikas) with Ājīvikas due to their practice of nudity.{{Cite web |last=Upadhye |first=A. N. |title=Jaina Bibliography Part 2 |url=https://jainqq.org/explore/016036/298?highlight=Botika}} Professor Pranabananda Jash, an Indian scholar, also asserts the view that Digambaras were the Botikas described in Jinabhadra Gani Kshamashramana's work while describing the eight schisms of the Jaina church.{{Cite web |last=Jash |first=Pranabananda |title=Some Aspects of Jainism in Eastern India |url=https://jainqq.org/explore/006725/63}} Acharya Haribhadrasuri, in his works, has described the same account of the creation of the Botika sect.{{Cite web |last=Kapadia |first=H. R. |title=Anekantajay Patakakhyam Prakaranam Part 2 |url=https://jainqq.org/explore/008406/74}} According to Sthānakavāsī scholar Hastimal Maharaja, this story accurately describes how the Digambara sect came into existence.{{Cite web |last=Maharaja |first=Hastimal |title=Jain Legend Vol. 2 |url=https://jainqq.org/explore/007595/282}} The earliest available evidence of the existence of this account of the schism is before 500 CE, at least 500 years before the first evidence of the contrasting view held by the Digambaras.{{Cite web |last=Shah |first=Umakant P. |title=Jain Rup Mandan |url=https://jainqq.org/explore/001961/19}}

According to the Śvetāmbaras, the Digambara sect was formed by a rebellious monk named Sivabhuti in 82 AD.{{Cite book |last=Paszkiewicz |first=Joshua R. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tInVEAAAQBAJ&dq=%22Sivabhuti%22+-wikipedia&pg=PA46 |title=Indian Spirituality: An Exploration of Hindu, Jain, Buddhist, and Sikh Traditions |date=2024-05-07 |publisher=Wellfleet Press |isbn=978-1-57715-425-9 |language=en}} This claim is based on the scripture Avashyak Bhashya, composed by Acharya Jinbhadragani Kshamashraman. Other important Śvetāmbara scriptures, such as Vijaylakshmisuri's Upadesh Prasad,{{Cite web |last=Vijaylakshmisuri |first=Acharya |title=Upadesh Prasad |url=https://jainqq.org/explore/002173/121}} and Kupaksha Kaushika Sahasra Kiran Aparnam Pravachan Pariksha,{{Cite web |last=Dharmasagarsuri |first=Acharya |title=Kupaksha Kaushik Sahasra Kiran Aparnam Pravachan Pariksha |url=https://jainqq.org/explore/022027/94}} also mention him. Another Śvetāmbara work, Nihnavavad,{{Cite web |last=Dahyalal Mehta |first=Dhirajlal |title=Nihnavad |url=https://jainqq.org/explore/032122/221}} mentions him as well.

The story states that about 609 years after Mahavira attained nirvana,{{Cite book |last=Singhi |first=Narendra Kumar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-JrXAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Sivabhuti%22+-wikipedia |title=Ideal, Ideology & Practice: Studies in Jainism |year=1987 |publisher=Printwell Publishers |isbn=978-81-7044-042-0 |language=en}}{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zXEO2qFLqe8C&dq=%22Sivabhuti%22+-wikipedia&pg=PA655 |title=Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland |year=1905 |publisher=Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain & Ireland |language=en}} there was a city called Rathavirapur{{Cite book |last=India |first=Archaeological Survey of |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pdQbAQAAMAAJ&dq=%22Sivabhuti%22+-wikipedia&pg=RA1-PA177 |title=Annual Report |year=1928 |publisher=Superintendent of Government Printing |language=en}} 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.{{Cite book |last=Devendra (Muni.) |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4v3WAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Sivabhuti%22+-wikipedia |title=Jaina Conduct |year=1995 |publisher=Prakrit Bharati Academy |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=Institute |first=Deccan College Post-graduate and Research |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xNM8AAAAMAAJ&q=%22Sivabhuti%22+-wikipedia |title=Bulletin of the Deccan College Research Institute |year=1954 |publisher=Dr. A. M. Ghatage, director, Deccan College Postgraduate and Research Institute |language=en}} 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 upashray (dwelling). After taking alochna (repentance) from Acharya Krishnasuri, he requested to become a monk. Sivabhuti was then initiated as a monk.{{sfn|Dundas|2002|pp=46}}

One day, while wandering as a monk, Sivabhuti arrived at Rathavirapur.{{Cite book |last1=Bakshi |first1=Shiri Ram |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BkAwAQAAIAAJ&q=%22Sivabhuti%22+-wikipedia |title=Religions of India |last2=Mahajan |first2=Lipi |year=2000 |publisher=Deep & Deep Publications |isbn=978-81-7629-229-0 |language=en}} On hearing about his arrival, the king gifted him a shawl (ratna-kambal).{{Cite book |last1=Hastings |first1=James |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Pe-ZqkyOI-QC&dq=%22Sivabhuti%22+-wikipedia&pg=PA124 |title=Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics: Suffering-Zwingli |last2=Selbie |first2=John Alexander |year=1922 |publisher=T. & T. Clark |isbn=978-0-567-06509-4 |language=en}} 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,{{Cite book |last=Shah |first=Umakant Premanand |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=m_y_P4duSXsC&q=%22Sivabhuti%22 |title=Jaina-rūpa-maṇḍana |year=1987 |publisher=Abhinav Publications |isbn=978-81-7017-208-6 |language=en}} marking the beginning of the Digambara sect. He preached that Moksha could be attained only through complete non-possession, including clothes.{{sfn|Dundas|2002|pp=47}}

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.{{sfn|Dundas|2002|pp=46}} 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.{{sfn|Dundas|2002|pp=47}} However, society thought of her as a prostitute, so Sivabhuti prevented nuns from staying nude.{{sfn|Dundas|2002|pp=47}} The courtesans of the town believed that nobody would come to them if they saw women in such a state.{{Cite book |last=Roy |first=Ashim Kumar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LH_XAAAAMAAJ&q=%22shivabhuti%22%20%22uttara%22 |title=A History of the Jainas |date=1984 |publisher=Gitanjali Publishing House |isbn=978-0-8364-1136-2 |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=Nagraj |first=Muni |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dXVOXRrYQiQC&dq=%22shivabhuti%22%20%22prostitute%22&pg=PA427 |title=Āgama Aura Tripiṭaka, Eka Anuśilana: Language and Literature |date=1986 |publisher=Concept Publishing Company |isbn=978-81-7022-731-1 |language=en}} A condition was enforced that since women possess clothes in the Digambara tradition, they are not fit to attain Moksha or liberation.{{Cite book |last=Bombay |first=Anthropological Society of |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qtgZAAAAMAAJ&dq=%22shivabhuti%22&pg=PA759 |title=Journal ... |date=1928 |publisher=Anthropological Society of Bombay. |language=en}} This aligns with the current-day Digambara belief regarding women attaining salvation.

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite book |last=Dundas |first=Paul |author-link=Paul Dundas |title=The Jains |url={{Google books|X8iAAgAAQBAJ|plainurl=yes}} |edition=Second |year=2002 |orig-date=1992 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-415-26605-5 |location=London and New York }}

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Category:1st-century Jain monks

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