Lord Mahavira Vol 02

Author(s): S C Rampuria
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati Institute

Page 21

12
..
.
Lord Mahavira
are also mentioned in the Jain canons. They were the contemporaries of Mahâvîra and the Buddha and like them they were also inspired by a sense of dissatisfaction with orthodox Brahmanism which was the most potent sect of the Ganga valley in the 6th and 5th century B.C.
These six teachers had little individuality. They were usually referred to as a group. Their teachings were often confused. The Buddhist and Jain texts are the only source of our knowledge of these sects. The 'Samannaphalasutta’ of the Digha Nikaya contains a long passage on these teachers and their doctrines. It is here that Makkhali Gosala propounds his determinist view of the universe.
In its earlier stages Buddhism had to contend not only with Brahmanism and Jainism but with many other religious sects as well. These six teachers were opposed to Buddhism. They also made some contributions to the thought of the age. The three unorthodox systems were associated with the names of the Buddha, Mahâvîra and Makkhali Gosala. But there were some other teachers of lesser importance. They also contributed to the system. Out of the six teachers three have little relevance to Ajivikas. Only Purana, Makkhali and Pakudha are connected with Ajivikism. These three names are often associated and their doctrines are sometime confused.
There were many other ascetics of Ajivikism before Makkhali Gosala. Makkhali Gosala considered himself to be the 24th Tirthankara. There must have been, therfore, twenty three more teachers before Makkhali Gosala. Of these the two, Nanda Vaccha and Kisa Sankissa are linked with Makkhali Gosala. Kisa and Nanda were, perhaps Makkhali's contemporaries. But Mr. Barua believes that Nanda was succeeded by Kisa, and Kisa by Makkhali. It is, thus clear that the Ajivikas had many earlier teachers.
Makkhali Gosala is considered by many scholars as the sole founder of Ajivikism. Other Ajivikas respected him most. There is a lot of controversy about his birth and parentage. Some think that he was born of a low parentage in a cowshed. But it is all a wild conjecture. In the Bhagvati Sutta it is written that Gosala spent a few years in the company of Lord Mahâvîra. But the account of the circumstances of the meeting is most unreliable. Some think that Gosala spent six years with Lord Mahâvîra. There are many detailed accounts of the conversation between Makkhali