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INTRODUCTION
“Eka samayam Bhagavâ sakkesu viharati-tena kho pana samayena Nigantha Nathputta pâvâyam adhâna kâla kato hoti.............
“Once Lord Goutama was touring in Sakya country, then Nirgrantha Nathputta breathed his last at Pâvâ................
(15) Majjhim Nikaya mahasachchikasutta 36.
“ Sachchaka Nigganthaputto-mahâvanam upasankami.
“Nigantha natha puttam vâden."
“ Sachchka, the follower of Nirgrantha went to the great forest. Nirgrantha nathaputra by discussion......"
From the above quotations it also appears that at the time of Goutama Buddha the followers of Nirgrantha were prevalent from a very long time and that Lord Mahavira was recognized as Tirthankara and Omniscient.
Just at the present time we see in India Digambar and Svetambara Jains following their religious duties side by side, but with rivalry, in the same way the Jains and Buddhists were living side by side, but with rivalry in the olden days.
From “ Buddha Charya" page 577 it appears that Mahendra, son of Asoka went to Ceylon in V.S. 190, when 236 years had passed after the Nirvana of Gotama.
It is also known that either Jainism was prevalent in Ceylon, before this time or the preachers of Jainism must have gone to Ceylon along with Mahendra.
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