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other contemporaneity i. e. how long they lived in the presence of each other. But we can know this completely only after chronologizing the chief events of their life. Though the Agamas and the Tripitakas afford us the account of the days and the months of their birth and death, they do not mention the years of these events in terms of any prevalent era. This might have happened on account of the fact that no such systematized era, was in vogue at that time. Thus the only means at our hand to determine their correct dates is the use of other chronicles after having attested their veracity on the touchstone of history.
First we shall consider the chronology of Mahavira, for it is rather more unequivocal and less controversial than that of Buddha.
Chronology of Mahavira
In the foregoing chapter it has already been elucidated that the most unequivocal date of Mahavira's Nirvana is 527 B.C. (152). This date is substantiated by an extraordinary evidence: History accepts 322B. C. as the date of the accession of Candragupta Maurya to the sovereignty of Magadha (153). The historians call this date a 'light house' in that dark period of Indian history (154). They decide the chronology of hundred of years, posterior and prior to this period, on the basis of this unanimously accepted and definitely verified date. According to the chronology adopted by some ancient Jain traditional works, such as Titthogali Painnaya, Titthodhara Prakrana. Merutunga's Vicarasreni, etc., the event of Mahavira's death had taken place 215 years before Candragupta's accession. It should also be remarked here that the above work speak of Candragupta's accession to the throne of Avanti, and not that of Magadha. It is also a historical fact that in 312 B. C. (i. e. 10 years after Candragupta's accession to the throne of Magadha) Candragupta acquired the kingdom of Avanti (155). Thus, the Jain chronology and the historical chronology endorse each other and the date of Mahavira's Nirvana is confirmed in 312 + 215 = 527 B.C.
The Vikrama Era
The above date of Mahavira's Nirvana is also supported by the historical dates of Vikrama, Saka and Gupta eras.
