Contemporaneity and Chronology of Mahavira and Buddha

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

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Mahāvīra and Buddha
anavāsvadattä,1 Mrcchakațikaetc. and the Jain works like Āvaśyaka—Niryukti-Dipikā,3 Pradyota was succeeded by his son Pālaka. Now, as we have already seen the king Pālaka acceded to the throne of Avanti in the same night on which Mahāvīra passed away. Thus, it becomes clear that the king Pradyota was born on the day of Buddha's birth, he acceded to throne on the day of Buddha's enlightenment, and lastly, his reign ended on the day of Mahāvīra's Nirvāṇa. The purāņic chronology unequivocally ascribe 23 years to Pradyota's rule.
“Trayovimşat samārājā bhavitā sa narottamaḥ's that is “He (Pradyota) ruled for 23 years."
Thus, when Buddha attained the enlightenment at the age of 35, Pradyota became the king, and when Mahāvīra attained the Nirvana at the age of 72, Pradyota's rule ended. Therefore, at the time of Pradyota's accession, Mahāvīra must be 72-23=49 years old, and Buddha was 35 years old. Hence, we conclude that Mahāvīra was 14 years older than Buddha. This conclusion nearly endorses our conclusion that Mahāvīra was 17 years older than Buddha.
2. The Traditional Date af Chinese Turkestan
Our conclusion is also quite consistent with the tradi
1. Svapanavāsavadattő of Bhāsa. 2. Mrcchakatika of Sudraka. 3. Āyaśyaka-Nirukti-Dipikā part II pp. 110-11, V. 1282.
Tithogālipainnya-quoted in 'The Date of Mahāvira's Nirvāņa
in Chapter VII of this book. 5. Väyu Purāna Adhyāya IC V. 311. 6. Pradyota's reign ended in 527 B.C. Hence, his accession should
have taken place in 527+23=550 B.C. Cf. foot note.