Lord Mahavira and His Times

SR No.: 011080
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Kailashchandra Jain
Publisher: Motilal Banarasidas
Publication Year: 1974
Total Pages: 427
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 20 MB

Page 88

Lord Mahāvīra and His Times
Satānīka's son and successor was Udayana. The Jaina literature claims him to be a follower of the Jaina Order. On the other hand, the Buddhist scriptures tell us that Udayana was at first not favourably inclined towards Buddhism, but later, however, he became a devotee of the Buddha.
Sāvatthi, Bārāṇasī, Kampillapura, Mithilā, Polāsapura and Ālabhia were all important towns visited by Mahavira within the kingdom of king Jiyasattu.1 Jiyasattu (Jita-satril, conqueror of enemies) seems to be a title of the king like the epithet Devānampiya of Aśoka. Jiyasattu seems to be no other than Pasenadi or Prasenajit of Košala. The Rājapasenija Sutta records a dialogue between Kesi and Paesi, when the latter, being influenced by the teachings of the former, became a Samanovāsaga. Kesi, a follower of Pärśva, was a Jaina recluse who is represented in the Uttarādhyayana Sūtra as the contemporary of Mahāvīra and Gautama Indrabhūti. Paesi or Pradeśī may be identified with Pasenadi or Prasenjit of Košala.3 From the Buddhist texts, it is known that Prasena jit was a great admirer of the Buddha though he was not converted to Buddhism.
After giving up his flourishing kingdom of Daśārņa, Daśamabhadra, who was the contemporary of Mahāvīra, became a monk.4 Dasamabhadra is not known from any other source. Daśārņa is identified with Vidišā or Bhilsa region in Madhya Pradesh. The early association of Jainism with 1. Uvā, pp. 81-5, 90, 95, 105, 160 and 163. 2. B.C. LAW: Some Jaina canonical Sūtras, p. 74; 182-204. The Pali
counterpart of this Jaina Sitra is undoubtedly the dialogue known as the Pāyāsi Sultanta in the Digha Nikaya. In the Pali Suttanta, thc dia. logue is put into the mouth of the Buddhist reclusc, Kumārakassapa, the Flower-Talker (Chitra kathi) and the Chicftain Pâyäsi of Sctavyä, a town within the kingdom of Pasenadi of Kosala. NATA, P. 369. According to the Dighanikāya, Pradeśi was a vassal of Presenajit while on the cvidence of the Răzapaseniya Sutta, Jitasatru was the ruler under Pradesi. It scems more reasonable to say that Pradesi and Jitasatru arc one and the same ruler who may be identi
fied with Prascnajit of Kosala. 4. Utlarā, XVIII, 41. 5. GEB, p. 26.