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Dr. Jacobi's Second Approach known about the invincibility of the Vajjis, decided to play the croocked trick of bribing the Vajjis, and thus creating a rupture in their unity.
In the same way, both the traditions consider the honour paid by the Vajjis to the stūpas and temples standing inside the walled city, to be the chief cause of their impregnability.
In the Jain source, it has been said that as long as the stupa of Mallinātha remained standing, Konika would not be able to win Vaiśālī. According to the Buddhist text", Buddha says to Ananda “......so long as the Vajjis honour and esteem and revere and support the Vajjian shrines in town and country and allow not the proper offerings and rites, as formerly given and performed, to fall into destitude......may the Vajjins be expected not to decline, but to prosper.” Then he addressed Vassakāra, the Brahmana, and said, “So long as those conditions shall continue to exist among the Vajjins,... ...so long may we expect them not to decline but to prosper”.
There are many more such points which make it crystal clear that the opinion of Dr. Jacobi that Buddha's Nirvāṇa was antecedent to the Vaiśālī war, is not correct.
We find that like Pt. Sukh Lal ji the scholars such as Kasturmalji Banthia have accepted Dr. Jacobi's view firmly, but this has happened only on account of their partial consideration.
Dr. Charpentier
Another independent effort to solve the present enigma
1. Avasyaka Kathānka. 2. Mahā Parinivvāna
Vol. XI, p. 3.
Sutta, Tr. By T.W. Rhys Davids ; S.B.E.
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