Answer

Yes, in Jain tradition, there was a pre-Mahāvīra Jain order associated with Bhagavān Pārśvanātha, the 23rd Tīrthaṅkara. These ascetics are often connected with the term Nigaṇṭha / Nirgrantha, meaning “free from bonds.”

According to traditional Jain understanding:

• Bhagavān Pārśvanātha taught the four vows.
• Bhagavān Mahāvīra, the 24th Tīrthaṅkara, taught the five great vows.
• The additional explicit vow was brahmacarya — celibacy / chastity.

However, it is better not to say that Mahāvīra merely “reformed” Pārśva’s order in a casual sense. In Jain Dharma, Mahāvīra is understood as a Tīrthaṅkara who re-established the fourfold saṅgha and gave the discipline appropriate for his time.

Explanation

The four vows traditionally associated with Bhagavān Pārśvanātha are:

• Ahiṃsā — non-violence
• Satya — truthfulness
• Asteya — non-stealing
• Aparigraha — non-possession / non-attachment

Bhagavān Mahāvīra taught these as five Mahāvratas by making Brahmacarya a separate, explicit vow:

• Ahiṃsā
• Satya
• Asteya
• Brahmacarya
• Aparigraha

In many Jain explanations, brahmacarya was considered included within aparigraha in Pārśvanātha’s fourfold discipline, while Mahāvīra made it a distinct vow because spiritual discipline had become more difficult in the later age.

Regarding clothing:

• Jain traditions differ in how they understand the clothing practices of earlier ascetics.
• Śvetāmbara tradition accepts clothed mendicancy.
• Digambara tradition holds that complete non-possession for a male muni requires nudity.

So, the statement that Mahāvīra simply “forbade clothing” should be expressed carefully, because this is interpreted differently across Jain traditions.

Spiritual Understanding

The important point is not merely the historical difference between four and five vows, but the deepening of spiritual discipline.

Mahāvīra’s five vows guide the soul away from bondage caused by violence, falsehood, stealing, sensual attachment, and possessiveness. The explicit vow of brahmacarya strengthens inner purity, restraint, and detachment.

Takeaway

A pre-Mahāvīra Nirgrantha tradition connected with Bhagavān Pārśvanātha is accepted in Jain tradition. Pārśvanātha’s discipline is described as four vows, while Mahāvīra’s discipline is five vows. But the issue of clothing should be stated with care, because Jain traditions explain it differently.