Jainism and Mahavira

Author(s): Bhagchandra Jain Bhaskar
Publisher: Digambar Jain Sahitya Sanskriti Sanskaran Samiti

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recorded the death of Gosalaka sixteen and a half years before Mahavira, and not of Nigantha Nataputta. As the Buddha was a junior contemporary of Mahavira (Nigantha Nataputta), he might have attained Nirvana a few years after Mahavira, most probably in 544 B.C30. Recently Dir. Solanki tried to establish the date of Mahavira's death as (1761 B.C.) on basis of the Puranas (Tuisi Prajna XVIII. Feb. 1993) which cannot be accepted in toto.
It may be mentioned here that Mahavira and the Buddha never met personally each other, though their disciples discussed the matter so many times. Davadatta appears to be more influenced by the Mahavira's teachings as he insisted the Buddha for imposing the five special rules in the Buddhist order. The Place of Mahavira's Death
The place of Mahavira's death has also been a controvertial point. The traditional Pava is the place of Mahavira's death which is situated in the Southern part of the Ganga river, close to Rajagraha. The another Pava is the modern papura village twelve miles away from Kusinara or Kasiyau situated on the bank of little Gandaka river, to the east of the District of Gorakhapur at the Nothern part of the Ganga. It is most probable that Pava was included in the territory of the mallas since a Santhagara was built by them in Pava. It is also said that at this place the Buddha ate his last meal at the house of Cunda, and as a result he had an attack of dysentery. He then left the place and proceeded to Kusinara where he ultimately attained Parinirvana."
THE TEACHINGS OF MAHAVIRA
Spiritual Discipline and Practices
Spirituality in the essence of spirit or self or ultimate reality in being which comprises its right knowledge and right conduct in its relation with the universe. It is beyond the physical or material world and therefore is immanent. It is called Adhyatma (pertaining to self) in Sanskrit. Spiritual knowledge of the self or Atma requires its realization that one has capacity and aspiration to attain the highest and ultimate truth. Spirituality needs spirit in its purity which can be achieved only by right conduct and inwardness, intuition and mys
31. Majjhimanikaya, ii, 243 1.; Dighanikaya, iii, 117, 210 32. Tattvarthasutra, 1.1
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