Jain Journal 1997 04

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

Page 10

HOERNLE: THE HISTORY OF GOSALA MANKHALIPUTTA
Mahavira in a place called Paniyabhumi. There he again begged to be received as a disciple. This time Mahavira listened to Gosāla's prayer, and thenceforth these two lived together for six years in Paniyabhumi, practising asceticism (p. 1214a).* After this period they were once travelling together from the town Siddhatthagama to the town Kummagāma. On their way they passed a large sesame shrub in full bloom. On seeing it Gosala asked Mahavira, whether the shrub would perish or not, and where its seeds would reappear. Mahāvīra replied, that the shrub would perish, but that the seeds would form in seed vessels of the same shrub. Gosala would not believe it; so, thinking to prove him a liar, he quietly returned to the shrub, tore it up by the roots and threw it away. As chance would have it, just then a shower of rain fell. In consequence of it the shrub was able again to take root and stand up, and so the seeds after all formed in its seed vessels (p. 1216a). In the meantime Mahāvīra and Gosāla had passed on to Kummagama. Outside the town they met the ascetic Vesiyāyaṇa sitting with upraised arms and upturned face in the glare of the sun, while his body was swarming with lice. On seeing him Gosāla, quietly dropping behind, derisively asked him whether he was a sage or a bed of lice. Vesiyāyaṇa giving no reply, Gosāla twice repeated his question. Vesiyāyaṇa, now roused to anger, attempted to strike Gosāla, with his magic power; but Mahavira, taking pity on Gosala, interposed with his own magic power to save him. The other, observing this, (pacified) said to him: "all right, Sir! all right, Sir !" Gosäla then asked Mahāvīra, why that man had said so, whereupon Mahavira explained to him his danger and deliverance by magic power. This account greatly terrified Gosala who wished to know, how the man had acquired his magic power. Mahāvīra then explained to him the severe ascetic discipline by which he had obtained it (p. 1220). Shortly afterwards when the two ascetics returned to the town Siddhatthagama, they passed the identical sesame shrub. On seeing it, Gosala reminded Mahavira of his prophecy, that the shrub would die, but that the seeds would form on it in a seed vessel, adding, that it was quite clear that the shrub had not died, and the seeds had not formed. Mahāvira replied that his prophecy had come true; for the shrub had perished, seeing that Gosala himself had pulled it out by the roots and thrown it away; but that owing to a lucky fall of rain the shrub had come to life again, and the seeds had formed in its seed vessel (p. 1221). He added that similarly all plants were capable of reanimation. Still Gosala would not believe it, and went up to the plant to examine its seed vessel. But finding, on opening it, that Mahāvīra had been correct, he drew the further
This hardly agrees with the statement in the Kalpasūtra, § 122, that Mahavira spent but one rainy season in Paniyabhūmi.
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