| Buddhisagarsuri | |
| Religion: | Jainism |
| Sect: | Śvetāmbara |
| Birth Name: | Bechardas Patel |
| Birth Place: | Vijapur |
| Death Place: | Vijapur |
| Signature: | Buddhisagar Suri signature.jpg |
Buddhisagarsuri (1874 – 1925) was a Jain ascetic, philosopher and author from British India. Born in a Hindu family, he was influenced by a Jain monk and later was initiated in asceticism, and later elevated to the title of Acharya. He wrote more than a hundred books.[1]
Buddhisagarsuri was born Bechardas Patel in a Hindu family of Shivabhai and Ambaben in 1874 at Vijapur in north Gujarat. He studied till sixth standard. He met Muni Ravisagar, a Jain monk, and became his disciple. He studied at the Yashovijayji Jain Sanskrit Pathshala, a school for religious studies, in Mehsana. He took a job of religious teacher in Ajol. Following the death of Ravisagar in 1898, his spiritual quest intensified. Ravisagar's disciple, Sukhsagar initiated him as a Jain monk in 1901. He was given a new name, Muni Buddhisagar. He was conferred with an informal title of Yoga-nishtha, literally "firm in Yoga". He was elevated to the title of Acharya in 1914 in Mansa.[2] [3] He established the Mahudi Jain temple in 1917.[4] He was invited by the royals of Baroda, Idar and Pethapur to preach there. He died at Vijapur in 1925.[2] [3] The Jain temple and a memorial shrine were built where Buddhisagarsuri was later cremated in Vijapur.
He wrote more than a hundred books. He has written about 2,000 poems. He has written a large number of poems about Sabarmati river.[5] His first book was Jain Dharma Khristi Dharmano Mukablo, a comparison between Jainism and Christianity. He criticised Christianity and its missionary activities in Gujarat.[2]
He was involved in several debates regarding icon worship during those time. He defended it and authored a booklet Jain Sutroma Murtipuja (Icon Worship in Jain Scriptures). He termed icons as a form of love and devotion.[2]