Jainism Early Faith of Ashoka

Author(s): Edward Thomas
Publisher: Trubner and Company London

Page 41

THE EARLY FAITH OF AŞOKA.
proper person, and speaking of the “twenty-four Buddhas, who had immediately preceded him.”l On other occasions the twenty-four Jaina Tirthankaras are reduced in the sacred texts of their supplanters to the six authorized antecedent Buddhas, or expanded at will into 120 Tathagatas or Buddhas; with their more deliberately fabulous multiplications.
The Maháwanso, in like manner, has not only allowed the reference to the “twenty-four supreme Buddhos" to remain in its text, but has given their conventional names--which however have little in common with the Jaina list in the order of sụccession. Mahanamo's Tíká* has preserved the catalogue, in its more complete form, specifying the parentage, place of birth and distinctive “ Bo-trees" 5 of each of the "twenty-four Buddhok," and concluding, after a reference to Kassapo (born at Benares), with Gotamo (a Brahman named Jotipálo at Wappula), “ the Buddho of the present system, and Mettéyo [who is still to appear.” This amplification / and elaborate discrimination of sacred trees has also a suspicious air of imitation about it, as we know that Ward was only able to discover six varieties of Indian trees nominally sacred to the gods, and Mr. Fergusson's exami1 Spence Hardy, Manual of Buddhism, pp. 88, 94, 311,
rches, vol. xvi. p. 444, “Sarvárthasiddha observes, he has given so many [120] names exempli gratia, but his instructors were really no less in number than 80 crores." In other places Mr. Hodgson expresses his doubts" as to the historical existence of Şakya's six predecessors."—Works, p. 136, and J.R.A.S. Vol. II, p. 289. See also Csoma de Körös, J.A.S.B. vol. vii. p. 143. "Immense is the number of such Buddhas that have appeared in former ages in several parts of the universe."
3 Cap. i. p. 1. 4 Maháwanso, Turnour's Introduction, Ceylon, 1837, p. xxxii.
6 The “Bo-trees of the twenty-four Buddhos" are given in the following order (Maháwanso, p. xxxii) : 1. Pippala.
9. Sonaka.
17. Assana. 2. Salakalyaną. 10. Salala.
18. Amalaka. 3. Nága. 11. Nipa.
19. Patali. 4. Do. 12. Welu.
20. Pundariko. 5, Do.
13. Kakudha.
21. Sála. 6. Do. 14. Champa.
22. Sirisa. 7. Ajjuna. 15. Bimbajala.
23. dumbara. 8. Sonaka. 16. Kanihåni.
24. Nigrodha. As this list is quoted merely to contrast the numbers 24 against 7, it would be futile to follow out the botanical names of the various Bo-trees; but it may be remarked en passant, that No. 3 is a tree of the wet forests of Assam, Concan, Malabar, and Ceylon, while No. 11 is a palm-like plant which is entirely maritime, and abounds in the Sundarbands, wherein we have no record of. Buddhist " sittings.'
s Vol. i. p. 263.