Jain Journal 1967 04

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 31

162
JAIN JOURNAL
had a rather intimate knowledge of the communication between the Buddists and the Jainas in the lifetime of Gotama and Mahavira." (p. 127)
Of the three passages above, we have already considered the first one. This is the occasion when both Buddha and Mahavira passed the rainy season at one and the same place i.e., Rajagrha. This event took place in 516 B.C. according to our calculation as shown above. The other two passages are not relevant for our purposes.
4. "The passage in the Mahāvagga VI, 31, 1 sq. speaking of the meeting in Vesali21 of the General Siha, who afterwards became a laydisciple of Buddha, with Nataputta has been discussed by Professor Jacobi in SBE 45, p. xvi. sq...” (p. 127)
The passage is very important as in this it is expressly stated that both the Buddha and Mahavira were at Vaisali at that time.
The Hindi translation of the Siha-Sutta (Ang. Nik., VIII, 1.2.2) has been given by Sankrityayana on pages 138-140. He gives the date of this event as 515 B.C. which is equivalent to 519 B.C. according to our calculation. The Buddha spent his 13th rainy season at Caliya Parvata (p. 137) and 14th rainy season at Sravasti (p. 158, f.n.) The date of the 14th rainy season is 519 B.C (July-October) according to our calculation.
But where was Mahavira in the year 519 B.C. ? He passed his 13th rainy season at Rajagrha (Life, Vol. II, pp. 141, 200) in 519 B.C. (July-October) according to our calculation and 14th rainy season at Vaisali (Life, Vol. II, Part II, p. 231) in 518 B.C. (July-October) From the Life (page 200) again we know that "soon after the rainy season, Sramana Bhagawan Mahavira left Rajagrha, and went in the direction of Videha.” Then Muni Ratnaprabha Vijaya mentions Brahmana Kundagrama (p. 201) and Ksatriya Kundagrama (p. 206) as the places visited by Mahavira. All these places were suburbs of Vaisali. The only place outside the Vaisali area visited by Mahavira between his 13th and 14th rainy seasons was Campa. (page 227)
Thus combining both the Buddhist and the Jaina traditions we can say that both the Buddha and Mahavira were at Vaisali in NovemberDecember. 519 B.C. and that the conversion of Siha to Buddhism also
11 The passage is repeated in Anguttara Nikaya IV, p. 180 sq. (Charpentier)