Doctrine of Jainas

Author(s): Walther Shubring, Wolfgang Beurlen
Publisher: Motilal Banarasidas

Page 51

AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF JAINISM
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both in the Vıy. and the Jinac.1, was the capital of Prince Seniya, the Bimbısāra of the Buddhists. Mahāvira was a relative of his by Cellanā, the daughter of his uncle Cedaga, Prince of Vesālī, and Seniya's successor, Kūniya (called Ajātasattu in Pali texts), was also his protector. To the list of the cities mentioned above the Viy. adds further the name of Kosambia. The various other places referred to in either text cannot, however, be mentioned here. Mahāvīra did not stay at these places themselves, nor even during the interval of the long rainy season but-as is shown in Jinac. 122 by the word nīsāe attached to the indication of place--following the examples of other preachers he dwelt at a nearby ceiya regularly mentioned by its name, while nothing is being reported concerning its outward appearances. As is described in the Uvay. at great length in poetical language, the princes, their noble attendants and the crowd used to leave the town in order to listen to his preachings, and samosarana is the word designating not only Mahāvīra's going out to preach and the pouring out of those eager to listen, but also his setting up the fundamental teachings and both the place where the Kevalin teaches prepared by other religious-philosophical sects (Sūy. I 12) and later (Av. 5) also by celestials, and the audience assembled around it.
$19. Acc to the Palı texts Mahāvīra was a contemporary of Gautama Buddha, but although for decades they both wandered about one and the same area by no means very extensive preaching and teaching, there is no word being said as to their having met. Buddha is said to have survived Mahāvīra. This
1 A monography on Rāyagiha in ancient Literature was published by B C LAW (Delhi 1938)
2. Comp. the summary SBE 22, XV
3 For his militant policy comp JACOBI SPAW 1930, 557 ff (review by the AUTHOR OLZ 1932, 143 ff ) and the original reports in Niray and Viy.
4 At one time the believers in Vesāli were cared for by Jayanti who belonged to the laity (Vesäliya-sävayānam arthantānan puvva-sejāyari) She was the sister of Sayāniya, Prince of Kosambi, who consequently took Migāvai, another daughter of Cedaga, for his wife from Vesāli Her son was Udāyana (Viy 556b)
5 Differently with the Buddhists, comp B C LAW, Studia indoIranica p. 42 ff