Jain Journal 2001 04

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

Page 21

MISHRA: THE DATE OF MAHAVIRA
165
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 rain 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
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 November-December, 519 B.C. and that the conversion of Siha to Buddhism also took place at the same time. It may further be added that this was the first visit of Mahavira to Vaisali after his enlightenment (May 519 B.C.). That is why the Jaina tradition mentions the conversion of Rsabhadatta, Devananda, Jamali and Priyadarsana to Jainism on this occasion. But it is silent about the conversion of Siha, who was a Nirgrantha, to Buddhism.
5. "...and also the well-known Upali Sutta of the Majjhima Nikāya. (I, p. 371 sq.). Here it is related at considerable length, how Upali, who was a lay follower of Nataputta, went to see Buddha at a time when the two teachers dwelt at Nalanda in order to try to refute him on matters of doctrine. But this attempt had only a scanty result; for Buddha soon converted Upali, and made him his disciple. So Upali went back to his house in Rajagrha, and told his door-keeper no more to admit the Nirgranthas. When Mahavira afterwards came with his disciples to see him, Upali declared to his former teacher the reason of his conversion, and eulogised Buddha, his new master.” (p. 127)
The Upāli Sutta is also highly important, because the event took place at Nalanda when both the teachers were there.
Rajagrha and Nalanda are close to each other just like Vaisali and