Jainism in North India

Author(s): Chimanlal J Shah
Publisher: Longmans Green and Compny London

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MAHAVIRA AND HIS TIMES various facts connected with and depending upon the date under consideration. Still, however, 467 B.C. cannot be taken as the real year of Mahavira's death, though it cannot be far wrong, because there is no ground to assume that Hemacandra took as correct the tradition that two hundred and fifty-five years elapsed between the accession of Candragupta and the Vikrama era, and thereby came to the conclusion that according to the Jaina tradition Candragupta began his dynasty in 312 B.C. No doubt a precise date for the accession of Candragupta seems, with our present evidence, impossible"; but still, without dwelling further upon a matter of so much uncertainty, an earlier date seems more reasonable and more in keeping with the contemporary historical atmosphere and with certain events of Candragupta's own life. Scholars like Dr Thomas (F. W.), Smith and others agree in putting Candragupta's succession from 325-321 B.C, or thereabout. Taking this as our basis, we get c. 480-467 B.C. as the date of Mahavira's Nirvana, and thus fits in with the adjusted date of Buddha's Nirvana, 477 B C., "which has been proved correct within very narrow limits." 5 This is because it is obvious that the Nirvana of both these teachers can be separated by a few years only. Moreover, the acceptance of some such period for the Norvana of Vardhamana in no way contradicts any of the considerations that we have already put forth. However, before we pass on to the reformed Jaina church of Mahavira, we shall have to say a few words on the misunderstanding of the revolution that had been brought about in the chronology of this period by the so-called correct evidence as put forward by Mr Jayaswal, Mr Banerji and others.? As we shall see in our chapter entitled "Jainism in Kalinga Desa," until very recently it was believed, by these scholars, with Vincent Smith & and others, 1 "Our defective knowledge of the chronology is in striking contrast to the trustworthy information which we possess concerning the country and its administration" Thomas (F 1}, CHI, 1, p. 473 Ibid, pp 471-472 * Smith, Early Hrstory of Indra, P 200 (4th ed) 4 "The date of Candragupta's accession has been fixed by Professor Kern between 821 and 322, accordingly the date of the Narolina is somewhere between 477 and 475 BC, and this date is probably correct within a few years, as it nearly agrees with the adjusted date of Buddha's Nirvana in 477 BC" Jacobi, Parsshfaparvan, Int , p 6. * Jacobi, op and loc at * Cf Dasgupta, op art,1, p. 178. * Jayaswal, J BORS, 1, pp 425-472, and iv, pp 864 ff , Banerji ( R D ), JBORS, 111, pp 486 ff & Smith, JR A8, 1918, pp 548-547