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of thought. It was then established beyond dispute that Jainism was not only independent of Buddhism, but it was older of the two in its origin and development, and it was. preached more than two centuries earlier than Mahavira by Päráva whose followers had continued to maintain their identity and religious propaganda all through the period, so that the parents of Mahavira, and probably of Buddha also, belonged to that faith. The name of Buddha's father Suddho. dana is in itself a testimony that he was a pure vegetarian, a rice consumer. implying there by that Ahursā was his creed.
Opinion is also unanimous that the two Prophets were contemporary. But, for how long, who was senior of the two and who attained Nirvana earlier, are disputed questions. Among various calculations and theories about Buddha's Nirvana, the two deserve particular attention. One is the reference in Ceylonese Chronicles, accordiog to which Buddha achieved salvation in 544 B. C. The second evidence is provided by the Chinese dotted Records which go to prove that the event took place in 487 B, C. This evidence is also in accord with an earlier Simhalese tradition. As against this, there is only one stable tradition about Malāvīra's Nirvana that it took place 470 years before Vikrama and. 605 years before Saka i, e. 527 BC There is plenty of literary and epigraphic evidence to support this, and what is clained to militate against this has been again and again proved to be based on an error or preconceived notions. There are frequent references in the Pāli literature of the Buddhists themselves that Nigantha Nätaputta i. e. Mahāvira was one of those six Tirthan karas or teachers who were senior to Buddha and were sufficiently famous and popular to be consulted by the contemporary monarch Ajātasatru on matters of religion and philosophy, before Buddha could be thought of for the purpose. Not only this, but it has also been clearly stated that when the news of Mahavira's Nır vāpa reached the ears of Buddha, the latter thought it fit to.
