Antiquity or Jainism and tirthankara mahavir

Author(s): Bhagchandra Jain
Publisher: Z_Jayantsensuri_Abhinandan_Granth_012046.pdf

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5. Avadhijñāni
1300 6. Fourteen Pūrvadhāris
300 7. Vādis
400 8. Vaikriyakalabdhidhāris
700 9. Anuttaropapātikamunis
800 10. Sadhus
1400 11. Sādhvis
36000 12. Srāvakas
159000 13. Sravikās
318000
Total 531718 The ordinary Sravaka-Sravikas are excluded from this counting.
After passing twentyninth Varsavāsa at Rajagriha, Mahavira reached to Apāpuri (may be Majjhimā) the capital of Mallas where he spent his last Chaturmāsa. the morning of the fourth month Kartika Krisna Amavasya, he passed his last breath and entered into Salvation at the age of 72 years. At that time the king of Kasi, Licchavis of Kausala, nine Mallas and eighteen Ganarajas were present who celebrated the Nirvana Mahotsava by flaming the lamps. The Samannaphalasutta of the Dighanikāya refers to the event. Date of Mahavira's Parinirvana
The date of Mahavira's Parinirvāna, like the date of the Buddha, has been a subject of much controversy among the scholars. The Pali Canon has two main references which give an idea of the age and death of Mahavira. The first reference to Mahavira as one who has long been recluse, old and well-sticken in years (chirapavvajite, addhagate, vayonupatte).67 The another reference recorded is that when the Buddha was at the Ambavana of the Sakyas, Nigantha Nātaputta had just died at Pāvā.68 Ananda is supposed to have conveyed this news to the Buddha in a very pleasent mood.
Jacobi is perhaps the first savant who tried to determine the date of Mahavira. On the basis of the Hemachandra's Parisistaparvan which tells us that Chandra Gupta ascended throne 155 years after the death of Mahavira, Jacobi is of opinion that the death of Mahavira must have oceured in 468 B.C. as the Chandragupta's ascension took place in 313 B.C. (313 + 155 - 468 B.C.).69 Charpentier also supported this view. They were of the opinion that the statement of the Pali Canon was spurious. Basham, too, is inclined to accepts Jacobi's view. But he based his arguments on the Bhagawatisutra and a less favoured theory that
the date of the Buddha's parinirvana in 483 B.C. The Pāli record in his opinion does not refer to the death of Mahavira at Pavā, but to that of Gosala at Savatthi.
Majumdar and Raychaudhuri are of the view that Mahavira's death should have taken place in 478 B.C. In support of this view they suggest that Mahavira died sixteen years after the accession of Ajatasatru, and according to the Ceylonese Chronicles, the Buddha died eight years after the enthronement of Ajatasatru (323+ 155 = 478 B.C.).
Hoerle with a more comprehensive attitude suggests 484 B.C. as the date of Mahāvira's death and 483 B.C. as the date of Buddha's death. He is of view that the war took place not in the year of Ajatasatru's legel, but of his de fact accession?
The orthodox Jaina tradition which dates the death of Mahavira in 527 B.C. appears to be more reliable. It is stated that the date of Chandragupta Maurya's accession falls 215 years after the death of Mahavira. According to Hemachandra the accession took place 155 years after the death of Mahavira. Here Hemachandra appears to be wrong in calculation. He omitted by oversight the period of 60 years of king Palaka who on the same day began to rule at Ujjeni after the death of Mahāvira. Afterwards Nanda's dominion is listed for 155 years. Then commences the enthronement of Chandragupta Maurya. The Chandragupta Maurya's accession took place in 322 B.C. This accession must be on Avanti which was held 10 years earlier than Pataliputra accession. Therefore the death of Mahavira must be an event of 527 B.C. (322-10 + 215 = 527 B.C.). This view can be supported if we accept the Vikrama era commenced with Vikrama' death and Vikrama was born 470 years after the death of Mahavira (57 + 470 = 527 B.C.). According to the Titthogali Painnaya, the Saka Samvat was started 605 years after the death of Mahavira. Historically the Saka Samvata commences 78 years B.C. This fact also supports the view of 527 B.C. as the date of Mahavira's death. The Place of Mahavira's Death
The place of Mahavira's death has also been a controvertial point. The traditional Pava is the place of Mahavira's death which is situated in the southern part of the Gangā river, close to Rājagriha. The another Pava is the modern Papura village twelve miles away from Kusinārā or Kasiya situated on the little Gandaka river, to the east of the District of Gorakhapur at the northern part of the Ganga. it is most probable that Pavā was included in the territory of the Mallas since a Santhagara was built by them in Pava. It is also said that at this place the Buddha ate his last meal at the house of
SHRIMAD JAYANTSENSURI ABHINANDAN GRANTH/ENGLISH SECTION
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जिस की जैसी भावना, उस के वैसे कर्म । जयन्तसेन दृष्य बन, समझो सच्चा मर्म ।