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Lord Mahāvīra's Religious Contemporaries and Sects
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MANKHALI GOŚĀLA
Mahāvīra's contemporary leader of the Ājivaka sect was Mankhali Gośāla who seems to have been preceded by Nanda Vachchha and Kisa Samkichchha.? He was born at Saravana near Sāvatthi. His father was Mankhali and his mother's name was Bhaddā. His father was Mankha, that is, a dealer in pictures. Gośāla himself followed his father's profession in the beginning and hence he was so named.? As he is said to have been born in the cow-shed, he was called Gośāla. In the Buddhist records, the name is also spelt : 'Makkhali', which means one who stumbled in the mud. The true name secms to be Maskarin, the Jaina-prakrit form of which is Markliali, and the Pali form Makklali. This name indicates a school of Wanderers or Sophists who were so named not because they carried a bamboo staff about them but because they denied the freedom of the Will. RELATIONSHIP OF GOŚĀLA AND MAHĀVĪRA
When Gośāla grew up, he left home for some unknown reason and became a homeless wanderer, spending twentyfour years as an ascetic. After his meeting with Mahāvīra at Paņiyabhūmi, he spent six years with him. Probably because of this association we find some points of similarity in Jaina and Ājīvika doctrine and practice. From the account of the Bhagavati Sūtra, it is known that Gośāla became a disciple of Mahāvíra. Contrary to Jaina account, H. JACOB' and B.V. BARUA' arc of opinion that Mahāvīra remained a disciple of Gośāla for some time. Gośāla was much scnior 10 Wahavira in age, and was recognised as a tcacher some time before the latter. Afterwards, Gośāla parted company with Valāvira on account of doctrinal differences and went to Srāvasti where he spent sixteen years as a rcligious leader of the Ājsvika seci. The two years intervening between these two periods were no doubt filled with a journey to Kumiragām., six months' 1. A.F.R. HOCANLI suggests that Kisa and Sanda wrte probably Make
kali's contemporaries. 2. Blag, X1,1; :5, p. ). 3. SIE, XIV, F. XXS. 4. Rarır, p. 300.
