Contemporaneity and Chronology of Mahavira and Buddha

Author(s): Nagrajmuni, Mahendramuni
Publisher: Today and Tomorrows Book Agency

Page 135

Research and Conclusion
115
In spite of all these inconsistencies, in the most of the approaches made up to now to fix the date of Buddha's Nirvāņa, the Ceylonese chronology has been accepted as the main basis. This seems to be the main reason responsible for the discrepancy created between the chronology of Buddha and the genuine life-events of Buddha.
The Chronology of Buddha
In such a condition, when the chronology of Buddha itself is dubious and uncertain, in order to compute the period of contemporaneity of Mahāvīra and Buddha, their life-events depicted in the Āgamas and the Tripitakas, serve as the most authentic means. Out of the six contemporary rivals of Buddha, Mahāvīra was the most prominent one. The Tripițakas bear testimony to their intimate relations, either bad or good. Hence, a complete consistency in their life-events will reveal their period of contemporaneity, and consequently, the chronology of Buddha.
According to the Jain canon Bhagvati Sūtra, Makkhali Gośālaka, the leader of the Ājivakas, died 16 years before the Nirvāņa of Mahāvīra. Also, as we have already proved, Bimbīsāra's (Sreņika's) death and Ajātšatru's accession took place 17 years before the Nirvāņa of Mahāvīra. On the basis of the foregoing discussion, it has also become clear that Ajātaśatru fought the Mahā. Šilākanțaka war and the Raihamūsala war with the Vajjis of Vaiśālī, in the first year of his reign.
The following four facts are quite obvious in the light of the foregoing discussion of the life-events of Mahāvīra and Buddha, as dipicted in Āgamas and the Tripitakas.
1. See, 'Inconsistencies' in Chapter III of this book.