Jain Journal 1997 04

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

Page 12

HOERNLE: THE HISTORY OF GOSALA MANKHALIPUTTA
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in detail his theory of all rebirths of all living beings, as well as to enumerate his own seven reanimations successively in the bodies of Enejjaga for 22 years, of Mallarama for 21 years, of Mandiya for 20 years, of Roha for 19 years, of Bhāraddai for 18 years, of Ajjuņa Goyamaputta for 17 years, and of Gosala Mankhaliputta for 16 years. The last named reanimation, he said, he had undergone in the town of Sāvatthi, in the potter shop of Hālāhalā, the potter woman (p. 1243a).* Mahavira, in reply told him, that he acted like a thief who, on being hardly pressed by the villagers, tried to hide himself under different disguises in all sorts of out-of-the-way places, fondly imagining that he could not be recognised (p. 1245a). Gosāla now getting angry, began to grossly abuse him, and when Savvänṇubhüi, one of Mahavira's disciples, reproved him for such shameless conduct towards his former teacher, he destroyed him by means of his magic power (p. 1247a). For the same reason and in a similar way he destroyed Sunakkhatta, another disciple of Mahavira (p. 1248a). At last Mahāvīra himself reproved him. Gosāla then drawing back a few paces, shot forth his magic power of destruction against Mahāvīra; but harmlessly rebounding from him as from a rock, it returned burning Gosala himself (p. 1249a). The latter thinking, that he had hit Mahavira, told him that he would now die of bilious fever within six months. But Mahāvīra replied that so far from dying within six months, he would yet live sixteen years longer as a Jina, while on the contrary, Gosāla himself, having been hit by his own magic power, would perish of bilious fever within seven days (p. 1250a). The rumour of this dispute spread through the town, and there was much discussion among the people as to whose threat would prove true, the better sort among them maintaining, that Mahavira spoke the truth (p. 1250b). Mahāvīra himself told his Niggantha ascetics, that now that Gosāla was discomfited by magic power, they might go to him and worry him with questions and discussions. They went and did so, and Gosala, though greatly enraged, was unable to defend himself (p. 1252a). Then his Ajiviya followers, observing the discomfiture of Gosala, left him and attached themselves to Mahavira; but a few of them still remained with Gosala (p. 1253a). The latter, discomfited and horror-stricken, fled back to Hālāhala's potter shop, where in the delirium of fever, holding a mango in his hand, he gave himself up to drinking, singing, dancing, soliciting Hālāhalā, and sprinkling himself with the cool muddy water in the potter's vessels (p. 1253b). On this Mahāvīra took occasion to explain to his followers that the magic power that destroyed
A fuller translation of the phantastic account of Gosala's preexistent history, which, however, forms no essential part of his doctrine, will be found in Rokhill's Life of Buddha, Appendix I. pp. 253-255.