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89 Orientalists such as H. H. Wilson, Lassen, and even Weber, were of tlie opinion that Jainism was only one of the inany clifferent sects into wliichi Buddhisın was divided at an earlier or later date after the death of Buddha. Such a view miglit easily be held on the basis of certain somewhat striking resemblances which are found in the Buddhist and Jain records of whiclı at that time only a comparatively small number lac found their way to burope. This latter lıypothesis lias now been thioroughly refutech by the works of two eininent German scholars, Buliler and Jacobi, wlio llave laicl down a sure foundation for our knowledge of Jainism by a thorouglı investigation of its old canoncial texts and a comparison of these with the scriptures of the Buddhists and Bralımans. (P. 152).
(ii) But tlie Jains themselves claim for their religion a far more venerable antiquity : they tell us that before Mahavira there livech 110t less than 23 tirthankurs or propliets', wlio appearing at certain intervals preached the only true religion for the salvation of the worlch. The first of these prophets was king Risliabha, who after laying down his royal power and transfering the realm tu luis sou Bharat, the first wiversal inonarch (chakra iurlin), became a holy mau and a tirthakara.
(iii) This Parrva is assumed, on the authority of Professor Jacobi and others, to have been
