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who belonged to the Kshatriyas, were worshippers of Parsvanatha (Aachaaraang, II, 15-16.) Following the teachings of Parsvanatha, they peacefully died practicing slow starvation Sallekhana. The Uttaradhyayana Sutra relates a meeting between Keshi and Gautama as representatives of the two Jaina Orders, the old and the new. (Uttaradhyayan, 23, pp. 119-129.) The Bhagavati Sutra refers to a dispute between a follower of Parsvanatha and a disciple of Mahavira. (Bhag, I, 76.) The Bhagavati Sutra refers to Gangeya, a follower of Parsvanatha (Bhag, IX. 32). A follower of Parsvanatha named Udaka met Gautama, the first GaNdhara of Mahavira. Gautama was successful in winning over Udaka to his side. (Sutra, II 7.) From the dialogue between Udaka and Gautama, it appears that the followers of Parsvanatha and the disciples of Mahavira were respectively known as the Nirgrantha Kumaraputtas and the Nirgrantha
Nathaputtas.
Mahavira was an elder contemporary of Buddha? As a matter of a fact, Buddhist literature and history establish
