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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
30
Kalpasútra.
Supplementary note. I have, throughout the introduction, taken account of the tradition of the (vetâmbaras only. The Digambaras have a tradition of their own, which differs considerably from that of the other sect. I know it from a modern Gurvâvali lent to me by Dr. Bühler. It is written in Jepur, in the dialect of that town, and explains a number of gâthâs the Prâkrit of which shows remarkable affinity to the Saurasenî. In this Gurvâvali, two Bhadrabâhus are mentioned. Bhadrabâhu I. died 162 A.V., he was the last of the crutakevalins. Bhadrabahu II. was Thera 492-515 A.V. He was the disciple of Yacobhadra, who was the disciple of Subhadra (468 — 474 A.V.). In Subhadra's second year, i. e. 470 A.V., Vikrama was born. This is confirmed by the following bemistich quoted in the Gurvâvalî.
sattari-cadu-sada-jutto
tiņa kâlâ Vikkamo havai jammo The Samvat Era, however, does not date from the janman, but from the râjya of Vikrama, or from the 18th year after his birth'). Thus the year 492 A.V. is made to correspond with samvat 4, the date of Bhadrabâhu. From Bhadrabâhu II. down to samvat 1840, a continuous list of Theras is given, which looks as if based on genuine tradition.
According to the Gurvavali, the whole of the angas was lost after Pushpadanta (633--683 A.V.). He reduced the sacred lore to writing. The year of his death (683 A.V.) is also given for the birth of Vikrama.
1) According to the statements made above, the Eras of Mahavira and Vikrama would be separated by 488 years; hence the Nirvana would fall in 545 AD. This date is separated from that of Buddha's Nirvana, according to the chronology of Coylon, by two years only.
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