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72
Inconsistencies
The acceptances of the date of the Nirvana of Mahāvira and Buddha inferred by Dr. Jacobi also gives rise to many inconsistencies. In the Bhagavati Sūtra, Gosalaka speaks of eight finalities in his last days and MahasilaKantaka war was also one of them (68). We deduce from it that Gosalaka died after the Mahasila -kantaka war had taken place. Again seven days before the death of Gosalaka, Mahavira had announced (69). "I shall remain alive yet 16 years from today without any hinderance like a supremely puissant elephant." In other words, even if we assume that Mahasila -Kantika war broke out immediately after Konika's accession to the throne, there elapsed at least 17 years between Konika's accession and Mahavira's death. But this, by no means, goes beyond 15 years, according to the date fixed by Dr. Jacobi (70). Another inconsistency arising from Jacobi's findings becomes clear from the following event described in Jain literature;
Once (71) upon a time, the king Srenika asked Mahavira: "Who will be the last Kevalin (omniscent)"? Mahavira, answering the king's question, said to him: "On the seventh day from today, this good named Vidyunmali, will be conceived in the womb of the wife of Rsabhadatta, a businessman in your city Rajagrha. That child will be named as Jambu-Kumara, and he will be the last Kevalin"
· Now, all the Jain traditions unanimously accept the fact that when Jambu-Kumara was 16 years old, he was initiated into monkhood by Sudharma Syami (72) the successor of Mahavira, in the same year in which Mahavira died (73). This means that Jambu-Kumară was conceived in the womb of his mother nearly 17 years before the Nirvāna of Mahāvira. At that time, king 'Srenika' was alive, But as we have seen, the reign of Konika began more than 16 years before the Nirvana of Mahāvira. Therefore, we infer that the end of 'Srenika's rule and the beginning of Konika's rule took place nearly 17 years before the Nirvana of Mahāvira. But, the chronology proposed by Dr. Jacobi, allow a maximum interval of 15 years between these events. In this way the acceptance of these dates involves many objections.
