Jainism in Buddhist Literature

Author(s): Bhagchandra Jain Bhaskar
Publisher: Alok Prakashan

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ism arose and grew up in the same province of India. The leaders of both sects were sometimes living in the same city, but they never met perhaps personally51. Their followers, however, used to indulge in discussions, conversations and debates.
The date of Nigantha Nataputta
The date of Nigantha Nataputta, like the date of the Buddha has been a subject of much controversy among the scholars. The Pali Canon has two main references which give an idea of the age and death of Nataputta. Ajatasattu is reported to have spoken of Nigaṇṭha Nataputta to the Buddha in Samana. phala Sutta as "One who has long been recluse, old and wellstricken in years (cirapabbjjito, addhagato, vayonupatio53 ). Another reference recorded is that when the Buddha was at the Ambavana of the Sakyas, Nigantha Nataputta had just died at pāvā ( ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sakkesu viharati vedhañña nama sakya tesam ambavane pasāde. tena kho pana samayena Nigantho Nataputto Pavayam adhuna Kalankato hoti.54 Ananda is supposed to have conveyed this news to the Buddha in a very pleasant mood.
The Chief landmark in Jaina chronology is the year of Nigantha Nataputta's death, which is generally placed somewhere between 468 and 482 or 527 and 546 B. C. Jacobi is perhaps the first savant who tried to determine the date of Mahavira. In the introduction to the Acarangasūtra, showing the differe nces between the Buddha and Mahavira, he says: Mahavira died in Pāvā, avowedly before the former (Buddha55). Hence, in the introduction to the Kalpas@tra56 he Suggests that his death might have taken place round about 468-467 B. C. This opinion was based on Hemachandra's Parisistaparoan57 which tells us that Chandragupta, the Sandrokottos of the Greeks, ascended throne 155 years after the death of Mahavira. The Chandragupta's ascension, according to Jacobi, took place in 313 B. C. Therefore the death of Mahävira must have occured in 468 B. C. (313+ 155468 B. C.) Charpentier58 also supported his view. If Hemachandra's chronology is accepted,