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Mahāvīra and Buddha hand knowledge of the Jain traditions in vogue. He established direct contact with many Jain Acharyas during his visit to this country.
Dr. Jacobi has referred to the controversy about the dates of the Nirvāṇa of Mahāvīra and Buddha at two different places and both the descriptions contradict each other. In one review he depicts Mahāvīra as having predeceased Buddha and vice versa in the other.
The First Review
His first review appeared in his Introduction to the Ācārānga Sūtra in 1884. Describing the events associated with the lives of Mahāvīra and Buddha he writes: “We shail now put side by side the principal events of Buddha's and Mahāvīra's lives in order to demonstrate their difference. Buddha was born in Kapilavastu, Mahāvīra, in a village near Vaiśāli ; Buddha's mother died after his birth, Mahāvīra's parents lived to see him a grown up man; Buddha turned ascetic during the life time and against the will of his father, Mahāyīra did so after the death of his parents and with the consent of those in power : Buddha led a life of austerties for 6 years, Mahāvīra for 12; Buddha thought these years wasted time, and that all his penances were useless for attaining his end, Mahāvīra was convinced of the necessity of his penances and persevered some of them even after becoming a Tirtharkara.
Amongst Buddha's opponents Gośāla Mamkhaliputta is by no means so prominent as amongst Mahāvīra's nor
1. During his second visit to India (March 1914) he met Acharya
Śri Kälugani, the 8th Acharya of Terapanth Sect and held
important discussions with him for three days. 2. S.B.E. Vol. XXII, Introduction, pp. XVII, XVIII.
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