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Research and Conclusion
On
and a few more years have passed since the Nirvāṇa.” the basis of these beliefs, the dates of Buddha's Nirvāṇa come out to be 570 B.C., 870 B.C. and a few years earlier than 270 B.C. respectively. But all these dates have no more value than the legends.
At present, there are several dates prevalent on the basis of different Buddhist traditions. One of these is based on the Ceylonese chronicle, Mahāvamsa1. According to this, the Nirvāna of Buddha took place in 544 B.C. (This is popularly known as 'Ceylonese date'). Another date is based on the "dotted record of canton.2" Sanghabhadra brought this news to China. The people of Canton established a "Dotted record", the starting dot of which synchoronised with the year of Buddha's Nirvana. Then, every year a dot was added to it. This tradition continued up to 489 A.D. When all the dots were counted, they were found to be 975, on this basis, the date of Buddha's Nirvana was calculated to be 486 B.C.
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There is a third date, prevailing in Chinese Turkestan. This is also known as 'Khotan tradition." "It place, Dharma-Aśoka 250 years after the Nirvana of Buddha, and makes him contemporary with Chinese emperor Shih HuangTi (Chin), the builder of the great wall, who came to throne. in 246 B.C., became universal emperor in 221 B.C. and reigned up to 210 B.C." On the basis of this tradition, some scholars affirm that Buddha died in 246+250-496 B.C.*.
1. Early History of India, by Vincent A. Smith, p. 49
2. Journal of Royal Asiatic Society, Great Britain, 1905, 51.
3. Sarat Chandra Das, Journal of Asiatic Society, Bengal, part, I,
1886, pp. 193-203, Tchang, Synchronismes Chinois; Early History of India by V.A. Smith, pp.49-50.
4. Buddhakaltina Bharata, by Janardana Bhatt, p. 371.
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