Contemporaneity and Chronology of Mahavira and Buddha

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

Page 39

Dr. Jacobi's Second Approach
The Date of Mahāvīra's Nirvāṇa
Dr. Jacobi regards 477 B.C. as the date of Mahāvīra's Nirvāṇa and 484 B.C. as that of Buddha's Nirvāņa. But he refrains from giving any specific indication throughout his essay why it became inevitable for him to accept these dates. He simply says, "Though according to the unanimous traditions of the Jains, Candragupta's accession took place 215 years A.V. (after the death of Mahāvīra), in accordance with the view propounded by Hemacandra, (Parisista Parva, 8-339) Candragupta acceded to the throne 155 A.V." Dr. Jacobi has supported his view by citing another Jain work, Kahāvali, of Bhadreśvara.
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Now, the fact is that, as stated by Dr. Jacobi, it is unanimously accepted in all the Jain traditions that Candragupta's accession took place only 215 years after the Nirvana of Mahāvīra2 and not 155 years, as accepted by Acarya Hemacandra3. The view of Acārya Hemacandra would prove baseless, if tested on the touchstone of history. Also, the scholars have regarded it as a great blunder committed by Acarya Hemacandra. The most substantiated opinion in this regard is that, a king named Palaka was enthroned at Ujjain the very day on which Mahavira attained the Nirvana. He (or his dynasty) reigned for 60 years. After this, Nandas ruled for 155 years. Then ensued the Mauryan rule, that is to say Candragupta Maurya was enthroned 215 years after the death of Mahāvīra. This allusion has been extracted from
1. Op. cit. p. 10.
2. See, "Date of Mahāvīra's Nirvāṇa" in Chapter VII of this book. 3. Evam ca śri Mahāvīramuktervarşaśate gate!
Pañc pñcasadadhike Candragupto bhavennṛpaḥ !! -Parisista Parva, VIII, V. 339.
4. Titthogāli Painnaya, 620-21.