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serve as the most authentic means. Out of the six contemporary rivals of Buddha, Mahāvīra was the most prominent one. The Tripitakas bear testimony to their intimate relations, either bad or good. Hence, a complete consistency in their life-events will reveal their period of contemporaneity, and consequently, the chronology of
Buddha.
According to the Jain canon Bhagvati Sutra, Makkhali Gosalaka, the leader of the Ajivakas, died 16 years before the Nirvana of Mahavira. Also, as we have already proved (228), Bimbisara's (Srenika's) death and Ajàtasatru's accession took place 17 years before the Nirvana of Mahavira. On the basis of the foregoing discussion, it has also become clear that Ajatasatru fought the Maha-Silakantaka war and the Rathamusala war with the Vajjis of Vaisali, in the first year of his regin.
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The following four facts are quite obvious in the light of the foregoing discussion of the life-events of Mahāvīra and Buddha, as dipicted in Agamas and the Tripitakas.
1. Mahavira was elder than Buddha, the former having lived for 72 years, while the latter for 80.
2. Mahavira's omniscience is antecedent to Buddha's enlightment, Mahavira attained omniscience at the age of 42, while Buddha attained enlightenment at the age of 35.
When Gosalaka died, Mahavira was 56 year old.
4. Buddha's enlightenment had taken place before the death of Gosalaka (229), i. e. Mahavira. Buddha as well as Gośālaka were alive at the time of Maha-Sila -Kantaka war.
3.
On the basis of the above facts, the following conclusion can easily be deduced When Mahavira was 56 years old, Buddha must be at least 35. So the maximum possible seniority of Mahavira could be 21 years, and because Mahavira died at 72 and Buddha at 80, the maximum possible interval between their Nirvanas could be 29 years.
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Again, as stated above, Mahavira attained omniscience 14 years before Gosalaka's death. Consequently, on
