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JAIN JOURNAL : Vol-XXXI, No. 4 April 1997
of the former's life, -- all the more valuable as it is undesigned. The account states that Mahāvīra was 30 years old, when he left his home as an ascetic, (Bhag., p. 1206a Calc. print). Two years afterwards he met with Gosāla in Nalanda, near Rāyagiha (ib., p. 1206b). Later in the same year Gosala became his disciple and adopted the ascetic life; and thenceforward, the two ascetics lived together for six years in Paniyabhumi (ib., p. 1214a). Some little time afterwards, a doctrinal difference arose between them, and they separated in Siddhatthagama (ib., p. 1222b). They did not meet again, till many years afterwards, when their fatal meeting took place in Savatthi. Gosala for his part, after the separation, went to Sāvatthī, where in Hālāhalā's potter shop after a six months' course of severe asceticism, he attained Jinahood (ib., pp. 1222b, 1244a). In that state of Jinahood, he had spent 16 years (ib., p. 1244a), when Mahāvīra also came to Sävatthi (ib., p. 1203a), and the meeting between them took place, which seven days afterwards proved the cause of Gosāla's death (ib., pp. 1250a, 1264a). At the time of that meeting, and of Gosāla's death, the latter was in the 24th year of his ascetic life (ib., p. 1201a). It follows, therefore, that two years intervened between the six years passed by Gosāla in Paniyabhūmi, and the time of his attaining Jinahood (for 6 + 2 + 16 = 24). After Gosāla's death, Mahāvīra still lived for a period of sixteen years, according to his own prophecy (ib., pp. 1250a, 1269 a), which, of course, is to be taken as a historical statement made in the form of a prophecy. We thus obtain the following series of dates for determining the length of Mahāvīra's life to have 72 years. Mahāvira left his home
........ 30 years. ” meets Gosāla ......... " lives with Gosāla ........... Gosāla lives alone before Jina-hood
......... 2 ” lives as Jina
........... 16 Mahāvīra survives Gosāla .... ......... 16 Total of Mahāvīra's life........ .......... 72 years
........
........2 ...............
...6
O NON
Now this agrees with the express statement of the Kalpasūtra (S 147), according to which
Mahāvīra lived as householder .... 30 years (Kap. 8 110) " "as imperfect ascetic .............. 12
(Kap. 88117, 120) " "as Kevalin or Jina... ..............
(Kap. 8 147)
Total of Mahāvira's life .............. 72 "
Out of the 72 years of his life, Mahāvīra spent 42 years in monkhood (Kap. 8 147), viz., 12 in the preliminary and 30 in the perfect state.
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