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Lord Mahavira and His Times
mendicant, Ajjakhanda of Kachchayana gotra, a disciple of Gaddabhāli, who was putting up in Savatthi. Once he took his ritualistic objects, viz., triple staves, water pot (Kundi), rosary (Kañchaniya), earthen bowl (Karoḍiya), seat (bhisiyā), sweeping duster (Kesariyā), teapoy (chanṇaliya), hook (ankusaya), ring (pavittaya), and the forearm ornament (kalāchikā), and taking an umbrella and wearing shoes and dyed robes, proceeded to pay a visit to Mahāvīra. He was well-versed in Vedic literature.
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In the early Buddhist records, we have frequent mention of a number of such Parivrājakas (wanderers), all of whom were the contemporaries of the Buddha,. e.g. Poṭṭhapāda, Digha-nakha, Sakula Udāyi, Anna-bhara, Varadhara, Poṭāliya or Potali-putta, Uggahamāna, Vekhanassa Kachchana, Māgandiya, Sandaka, Uttiya, three Vachchhagottas, Sabhiya, and Pilotika Vachchhayana. Besides these wanderers, we have to take into account many celebrated Brāhmaṇa teachers of the Buddha's time, such as Pokkharasāti (Pushkarasādi), Sonadaṇḍa (Śaunadanta or Śaunaka), Kuṭadanta, Lohichcha, Kanki (Chanki), Tarukkha (Tārukshya), Jānussoni (Jātaśruti), Todeyyas, Todeyya-putta or Subha, Kāpaṭhika Bharadvāja, Aggika Bharadvaja, Pindola Bharadvāja, Käsi Bharadvaja, Vasettha, Assalāyana, Moggallana, Pārāsariya, Vassakära, and
others.2
Most of these religious teachers belonged to Magadha, and Rajagriha was the centre of their activities. The famous Parivrājaka Sañjaya lived at this place with two hundred and fifty disciples among whom Sariputta and Moggallana were the foremost. Sariputta was the first to resolve to cmbrace the faith and was followed by Moggallana.3 These two friends tried to persuade their teacher, Sañjaya, to see the Buddha, but failing to convince him, abandoned him and went over to the Buddha, followed by all the disciples of Sañjaya. Sakula-Udai was also residing at Rajagriha. Poțaliputta and
1. Digha, I, 178; Majjh, 1, 359, 481, 483, 489, 491, 501, 513; II. 1, 22, 29, 40; III. 207. Angu, II. 30. 1; II. 185. I; etc.
2. Digha, 1. 87, 111, 127, 224, 234; Majjh, I. 10, 164. 175 etc.
3. Mu, I, 23. 1.
4.
Ibid, 23, 2-10.
