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INTRODUCTION
It may be noted that the chronological side of the Jain Canons is very weak and so a systematic chronological framework carinot be expected from such a class of work As a matter of fact, the Jain texts are full of legendary traditions interspersed with loose facts here and there, which were narrated by the religious teachers to enliven their sermons and to illustrate their doctrincs Like Buddhist kings and monarchs, here also we notice the kings and emperors renouncing the world and attaining salvation on some mountain after severe penancc Very often we mect king Jiyasattu in these legends which seems to be a common designation of kings like Bambhadatta of the Buddhists or the epithet Devānāmpiya of a later age
Jain texts mention a number of kings and rulers who were contemporaries of Mahāvīra, but it should be noted that except for a few well-known kings such as Sronika, Kūnika, Pradı ota and Udayana, none of them is identified Wc know nothing even about such a powerful king as Cetaka, who was followed of eightcen icpublican hings of Käsi and Kosala and staunch follower of Jain religion Similarly, nothing is heard about Dadhiva hana of Campā, Dasannabhadda of Dasanna and Udayana 'Rudrāyana of the Buddhists) of libhaya so well-known in the Jain Canons The last mentioncd king is described as one of the eight chief kings' ordained by Lord Mahavira himself In the same way other contemporary kings of Vahāja aic unidentificd so far, and their historicity is in absolute darkness
Regarding the kings and princes, another point which should be noted is that most of the notable rulers are equally claimed by Jains and Buddhists as followers of their respective faith This Ouly proves that the rulers in ancient India showcd uniform courtesy towards religious teachers of different sects, and people in general were not so scctarian as we not c: in later ages +
Wherever possiblc with the help deui ed from Brahmanic and Buddhist traditions, we have tried to arrange the loose and vaned facts embodied in the Jain Canons As in the previous chapter in the absence of chronology, we have felt it advisable to arrange the hing in alphabetical order along with their descriptions as given in the Jain Canons
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The other kings were Eneyaha, Virangaya, Virayasa, Sanjaya, Seya, Siva .na Sankh (Tha 8 621) Besides, Dasannabhadda (Ala cūp 476) and Pasannacanda (ibid, p 455f) are mentioned among other rulers who joined the ascetic order of Mahavira, Some of these kings are Adinasattu (Vira, II 1, p 59), Hatthivāla (Kalpa sū5 123) Mittanandı (1ā. II, 10 P 64-2). Sirdama (111a, 6, p 36), Soriyadatta (Tuā, ,P 43f). Vasav adatta (iū II P 04) and Vijaya (Philip 2) Cr for instance that Seniya Bimbasăra of Magadha up to the day of his death was given to the praises of Buddha, Digh II P 202) Similarly it is mentioned that Abhavarājakumāra ashed Buddha to accept him as lus disciple and embraced the Master faith, Abhayarājakumāragutta Mannia In the same way Ananda is said to have preached his sermons to Udayana and his queens (Cullaragsa, XI 1 13). Cf the equal reception given to Thávaccāputta, a Jain monk, and the mendicant Suya by the citizens of Sogandhyā (Naya 5 p 73)
