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BOOK II, LECTURE 15.
Nirvana and liberation, which is the fruit of good conduct. Living thus he with equanimity bore, endured, sustained, and suffered all calamities arising from divine powers, men, and animals, with undisturbed and unafflicted mind, careful of body, speech, and mind. (24)
The Venerable Ascetic Mahâvira passed twelve years in this way of life; during the thirteenth year in the second month of summer, in the fourth fortnight, the light (fortnight) of Vaisâkha, on its tenth day, called Suvrata, in the Muhûrta called Vigaya, while the moon was in conjunction with the asterism Uttaraphalgunî, when the shadow had turned towards the east, and the first wake was over, outside of the town Grimbhikagrâma1, on the northern bank of the river Rigupâlikâ2, in the field of the householder Sâmâga, in a north-eastern direction from an old temple3, not far from a Sâl tree, in a squatting position with joined heels exposing himself to the heat of the sun, with the knees high and the head low, in deep meditation, in the midst of abstract meditation, he reached Nirvâna, the complete and full, the unobstructed, unimpeded, infinite and supreme, best knowledge and intuition, called Kevala. (25) When the Venerable One had become an Arhat and Gina, he was a Kevalin, omniscient and comprehending all objects, he knew all conditions of the world, of gods, men, and demons; whence
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1 Gambhiyagâma in Prâkrit.
2 Uggupâliyâ in Prâkrit.
Or, a temple called Vigayâvartta.
• Nivvâne or nevvâne; it may also be an adjective, belonging to nirvana. This is of course not the final nirvâna, which is reached at the dissolution of the body, but that state which the orthodox philosophers call gîvanmukti.
