________________
230
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
(MAT, 1903.
...
106
437
...
... 124
=
419
299
The Ceylon Dynasty (Bajávali).
A. B. B.C.
Reign. Vijaya ...
548 U patissa...
505 Pandavasa
504 Abhay
474 Interregnum
454 Pandukabbaya Ganatissa
380 Mntasiva ...
367 Devana-piya-Tissa, 17) of Asoka's reign ...
307 40 Uttiya ... ..
278 267 List of sthåviras (Vinaya Chiefs).
Years. B.C. Upali
1 = 543 Dåsaka
... ... ... ... 30 = 513 Saunaka
*** ... ... ... 80 = 513 Siggava .. Tissa
... ... ... 176 = 367 Mahendra ...
244 = Dies in 8th year of Uttiya's reign
284 = 259 It will thus be seen, that there is a remarkable agreement between all the lists shown above. The slight differences in the list of Magadha kings, between the Singhalese and the Burmese records, as also that of the Jainas, prove beyond the possibility of any doubt, that the true date must be a mean between the varying ones. According to the Singhalese records, Sisunaga ascended the throne in 72 A. B.; but according to the Tibetan and Burmese authorities, the date was 63 A, B., which appears to be correct, that is, 480 B. C. According to the Jainas, Nanda usurped the throne in 60 A. V., equivalent to 467 B. C., which shows that this Nanda was the Buddhistie Kalásoka, who succeeded his father in 463 B. C., a difference of only 4 years. According to the Buddhists, Chandragupta usurped the Magadha throne in 163 A, B. = 380 B.C.; and according to the Jainas, ir 155 A. V. = 527-155 = 372 B. C., a difference of only 8 years. According to the Lamas of Tibet, Asoka usurped the throne in 234 Nirvana Era (not Parinirvaņa), from which deducting 20, we get 214 A. B. (329 B, C.), the year, when Binduskra, his father, died, according to the testimony of the southern Buddhists. Asoka's coronation was held in 218 A, B. = 825 B. C. ; and after a reign of 37 years, died in 292 B. O., when his grandson Samprati (Sambådi, Tibetan) ascended the throne. According to the Jainas, Samprati ascended the throne in 235 A. V. = (527 -235) = 292 B, C., showing no difference between the two dates. Thọ slight differences in the other cases show that they were not derived from one source, and hence prove, beyond the possibility of doubt, that the true dates must be very close to the traditional ones. And so one cannot throw forward ABóka, Chandragupta, and Buddha by about 66 years.
The Parinirvana-date of Buddha in B. C. 543 is proved also by the synchronism of Mahavira, the 24th Tirthamkara of the Jainas, who was contemporary with him. And both flourished during the reigns of Bimbiskra-Srênika and Ajátaśatru-Kunika. Now Mahavira died in 527 B.C., which date is arrived at by the Eras of Vikramaditya and Sālivebana, the Samvat and Såka, which, according to the Svêtâmvaras and Digamvaras, the two chief sects of the Jainas, respectively commenced from 47.0 and 605 A. V. (Anno Vira); that is to say, after the death of Mahavira. I assume as usual that the Sarhvat commenced in B. C. 57, and the Saka in 78 A. D.; and so 470 + 57 and 605 - 78 yield B. C. 527, as the date of the death of Mahdvira.
