Dialogues that led to the Unification of Jaina Church – Section 2: Between Udaka and Gautama

Summary

Drawn from the Sūtrakṛtānga, this section narrates Gautama’s discussion with Udaka, a Nirgrantha follower of Pārśva, about renunciation and non‑violence. Udaka describes lay followers who, following the Kumaraputra monks, renounce injury to movable beings but not to immovable ones and argues that this selective renunciation is flawed because beings cycle endlessly between movable and immovable formsfile:///home/oai/share/jain_journal_1987_04_520086_hr6_ocred.pdf. Gautama replies that renunciation of injury to movable beings is a good vow because laypeople cannot avoid harming immobile life entirely; beings do not all become immobile or mobile at once, so abstaining from harming animals still reduces violencefile:///home/oai/share/jain_journal_1987_04_520086_hr6_ocred.pdf#:~:text=The%20Venerable%20One%20spoke%20thus,one%20kind%20of%20beings. The discussion touches on the importance of not slandering monks; Gautama warns that criticising righteous ascetics destroys one’s future meritfile:///home/oai/share/jain_journal_1987_04_520086_hr6_ocred.pdf#:~:text=The%20Venerable%20One%20spoke%20thus,%E2%80%9D. Udaka, impressed, asks to adopt the five vows of Mahavira instead of the four of Pārśva. Gautama brings him before Mahavira, who formally accepts his conversionfile:///home/oai/share/jain_journal_1987_04_520086_hr6_ocred.pdf#:~:text=Then%20Udaka%2C%20the%20son%20of,nor%20delivered%20nor%20made%20clear. The narrative illustrates Jain rationalism: disagreements about vows are addressed through logical arguments about the nature of living beings and practical ethics. It also highlights tolerance; Gautama does not coerce but persuades Udaka by appealing to his understanding of karma and renunciation.