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SECTION FIVE
Naratives of the Schisms (Nighava-kahanagani)
The Narrative of Gosala, the Ajivika-Tirthankara
Gosala Mankhaliputta was born in the settlement Saravana in the cow-shed of a Brahmana named Gobahula. Gosala's father was called mankhali, mankha' being a mendicant, who went begging alms from place to place exhibiting the picture which he carried in his hand. Once along with his pregnant wife Bhadda he came to Saravana settlement and took refuge in the cow-shed where his wife bore him a son. Since the child was born in a cow-shed (gosälä) he was named as Gosala. Gosäla grew up and having learnt the profession of a mankha went about begging. Once he arrived in a weaver's shed in Nalanda where Mahavira was sojourning during the monsoon. Gosala is said to have observed divine phenomena in the presence of Mahavira and paid extraordinary respects to him. Gosala is said to have expressed his desire to become Mahavira's desciple and the permission was granted. They travelled together.
Once while travelling they came across the ascetic Vesayana who was practising penance with upraised arms and upturned face in the glaring sun. Gosala made fun of him which annoyed the ascetic who hit him with his magic power (tejolesya). Thereupon using his own magic power, Mahavira saved him. At the request of Gosāla, Mahavira explained the way to attain the magic power. Over a period of time arose a difference of opinion between them and Gosäla separated from Mahavira. Gosäla is said to have followed Mahävira's path of asceticism and after six months acquired the magical power. Gosala then professed himself as a Jina and became the head of the Ajivika sect. The centre of activities of this sect. was Sāvatthi, where lived Hälähala, a potter woman, a lay disciple of the Ajivikas. Once Gosala in the twenty-fourth year of his ascetic life, was staying in her shed and at the same time Mahavira was also sojourning in the same town. When Mahavira heard about Gosala's account of his life, he denied his claim to Jinahood.. On hearing this Gosala was enraged. He called Ananda, a disciple of Mahavira, and told him that if his teacher came in his way, he would destroy him by his miraculous power. Ananda reported this to Mahavira. The latter admitted the validity of Gosala's claim and said that it was capable of destroying sixteen janapadas such as Anga, Vanga, Magadha etc. but added that it could have no effect on an Arhat because his own miraculous power was still greater. In the meantime Gosala approached Mahavira and explained to him in detail his theories and enumerated his own seven births. Thereupon Mahavira compared him with a thief who imagines himself to be concealed though he is not, and thinks that he would not be recognised. On hearing these words Gosala was enraged and he started calling Mahavira bad names and he destroyed two of his disciples by his miraculous power when they tried to oppose him. Then he turned to Mahavira himself declaring that as a result of his magic power he would die of bilious fever within
1. The mankha mendicants were of four types: (i) they begged alms by showing pictures (mankha) without speaking (ii) they did not show pictures but recited verses, (iii) they neither showed pictures nor recited verses but spoke something (iv) they showed pictures and expalined the meaning of the verses they recited, Brh Bhā Pi, 200
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