________________
.
607
names, Nigantha Nataputra and Niganthaputra, it appears that this confusion is not with Sudharma, but with Niganthaputra. From the discussion he had with Buddha, it does not appear that Saccaka ever belonged to the Nigantha sect. Rather, in the text under reference, he has spoken ill of Mahavira. Had he been an important person in the Jaina tradition, he should have received attention at some place which he has not. Under the circumstances, the idea of Buddha ghosa is no more than a freak of imagination or a concocted legend,
30. Practice of Celibacy which is unpleasant to the mind
This is from a discourse which Ananda gave in an assembly of 500 Parivrăjakas. According to him, there were four types of state of non-celibacy of which the first one he attributed to Nigantha Nātaputra. He said that this leader who claimed to be omniscient always en quired about the name and line of the persons he met and also about the name of the town and village he passed through. He often went to vacant homes to beg food and came back disappointed. And so on and so forth. In his list of this type of spiritual leaders, the fourth was Sanjaya Velatthiputra.
Source: Majjhima Nikāya, Sandaka Suttanta,
2-3-6.
Comment
According to Ananda's description, all the spiritual leaders of the age were non-celibate with an unpleasant state of mind and were not even initiated. Nigantha Nataputta was slightly better in this that he donned the robe of a monk. In any case, in Ananda's admission, Mahavira was somewhat superior to the rest.
31. Gods of diverse views
One day when Buddha was at Rajagrha, a few heretical gods who were the admirers of other spiritual leaders, including Nigantha Nataputta, came to Buddha and extolled their respective masters, Buddha gave them a hearing, but realised that it was Mara 'who was speaking through them. At last he said,
