________________
209
or power of vigour or human strength, but that all things are caused by destiny which is unalterably fixed 115 The Suvagadanga iefers to the doctrine of myatuada, according to which pleasure and pain are not caused by the souls themselves, not by others, but the individual souls expenonce them, it is the lot assigned to them by destiny 116
RELIGIOUS CONDITIONS
GOSALA AND HIS ASSOCIATION WITH MAHĪVĪRA
-
not
The Bhagavati gives the following details of the life of Gosala Gosala Mankhaliputta was born in the settlement Saravana in the cow-shed of a Brahm ira Gosala's father was called mankhalı because he was a mankha or mendicant who went about begging alms by showing a picture which he carried in his hand Once he came to Saravana arr look refuge during the uny cason in the cow shed where his wife bor him a son Since the child wy born in a cow shed sala) hewn called by the name of Gosala Gosala grew up and having learnt the profe- 10n of a mankha, went about begging Once he atved m Riyagiha and put up in a weaver's shed (tantusala) in Naland About that time Mahavir also was putting up there In the course of lns stay there, Gosila observed extraordinary respect being paid to Mahavia and requested him to make him his disciple Once they were travelling together from Siddhatthagama to Kummagama, on their way they passed a large sesame plant On seeing it Gosala asked Mahavira whether the plant would peush or The latter replied that the plant would perish, and the seeds would form in vessels Later on, however, this prophecy of Mahavia came to be true In the meantime, Mahavna and Gosala passed on to Kummagama where they met the ascetic Vesty ayana who was sitting with upraised arms and upturned face in the glaic of the sun while his body was swarming with lice Gosila teased lum, wh cupones is in attempted to strike Gosala with his magic powe, known as tegolessa, but Mahāvila interposed his own magic and s uved Gosalu Then Mihovna explained Gosala the course to obtain the magic power Shortly afterwards Mahavira and Gosāla ieturned to Siddh tthe g im and passed the same sesame plant. At this time there arose a dificience of opinion with 1cg ud to the plant and Gosala separated from Mahivia Gos la followed the course of asceticism, and after six months acquired the magic powers He then professed himself as a Jina, and bec ime the head of a sect called the Ajivyas. Their chief centie was Savatthi where lived the woman H Lahalā, potter by caste, a lay disciple of the hiyas Once Gos la was staying in her shop in the twenty fourth year of his arcetic life when the Disacaras came to visit him At this time Mohivna also w is staying in Savitthi,
115 Ibid 6, p 44 cl the Dila, I p 3 where it was stated that ceading to Ces the is 10 cause for the dcpi way of cings, they lecome fure with outre cher cause Nothing depends on human foit for there is no such thing as owe o creigy or human exertion or human strength Ivery thing that thinks or every thing that lives destitute of power of energy Then varving conditions are due to fate then muonments and then own natue
2. 2-3
118
