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PREFACE
The philosophical and historical aspects of Jain and Buddhist traditions have been my subject of interest for over a number of years. Some time ago, the editor of Jaina Bharati received a letter from Sri Kastur Chandji Banthia, in which he had written : "I was surprised to read in Muni Šri Nathmalji's book, Jaina Darsana ke Maulika Tattva, that Mahā vīra was older than Buddha. I tried to get it clarified by some evidence but to no avail. Again, Muni Sri Nagrājji has emphasized this viewpoint in an article entitled "Bhagvana Sri Mahāvīra aur Gautama Buddha,' in your quarterly, “Lord Mahāvīra was older than Gautama Buddha. When Lord Buddha started preaching, Lord Mahāvira had already done a good deal of work in that field.'
“Lord Mahāvīra lived seventy-two years on this earth, while Gautama Buddha attained the Nirvana at the age of eighty. No historian has so far doubted the veracity of these facts. Of course, the question, as to which of the two attained the Nirvāna first, has aroused fierce controversy amongst historians. If it is agreed that Mahāvīra was older than Buddha, then we have to accept the view that the former predeceased latter. But the late Dr. Hermann Jacobi in the last article of his life “The Nirvāna of Buddha and Mahāvīra and the Contemporary Political Conditions in Magadha' had conclusively proved by citing the Jaina Agamas (canons) that Mahāvira lived some years (probably seven years) even after the Nirvana of Buddha. Mahavira attained omniscience at the age of forty-two and after that he preached for almost thirty years. On the other hand, Buddha attained enlightenment at the age of thirty-six and Nirvāna when he was eighty years old. Thus Buddha
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