Contemporaneity and Chronology of Mahavira and Buddha

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

Page 136

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Mahāvīra and Buddha
1. Mahāvīra was elder than Buddha, the former having lived for 72 years, while the latter for 80.
2. Mahāvira's omniscience is antecedent to Buddha's enlightment, Mahāvīra attained omniscience at the age of 42, while Buddha attained enlightenment at the age of 35..
3. When Gośālaka died, Mahāvīra was 56 years old.
4. Buddha's enlightenment had taken place before the death of Gośälaka', i.e. Mahāvīra. Buddha as well as Gośālaka were alive at the time of Mahā-Šilā-Kanțaka war.
On the basis of the above facts, the following conclusion can easily be deduced - When Mahāvīra was 56 years old, Buddha must be at least 35. So the maximam possible seniority of Mahāvīra could be 21 years, and because Mahāvīra died at 72 and Buddha at 80, the maximum possible interval between their Nirvāṇas could be 29 years.
1. The Tripitakas tell us that the six religious teachers-Purana
Kassapa, Makkhali Gośālaka, Niganth Nâtaputta, Ajita Keśakambalī, Sañjya Vellathiputta and Pakuddha Kāccāyana had already announced themselves as "Tirtharkaras' and had started preaching their religions before the enlightenment of Buddha. Also, when Buddha attained the enlightenment, all of them were alive. Makkhali Gaśälaka was the founder of the Ājivaka sect. When, just after having attained the onlightenment, Buddha was travelling from Gayā to Sāranātha in the way he met an Ajivaka monk called U paka. Buddha said to him, "I have attained enlightenment." But Upaka, being not convinced of this, paid no heed to him, Having said, "May be, perhaps, Upaka went away by another road. Vinaya Pitaka, Māhāvagga, 1, also see Buddhacaryā by Rahul Sankrityayapa. p. 21 and Bhagvāna Buddha by Dharmapanda Kaušāmbī, p. 137. This incident makes it clear that at the time of Buddha's enlightenment, Makkhali Gośālaka had already become an eminent religious leader.