Mahavira His Life and Teachings

Author(s): Bimla Charn Law
Publisher: Luzac and Co UK

Page 14

LIFE
Buddha, it caused much alarm to him as to how his own followers would behave after his death." These very records also attest that Mahavira was alive even after Ajātaśatru had usurped the throne of Magadha 2 and Devadatta had been declared by the Buddha to be a hopelessly wicked man and utterly incorrigible in his ways 8
Anga-Magadha,' the territories of the VrjiLicchavis, and Mallas, and the kingdom of KāśiKošala are mentioned as the places which became the scene of wanderings of Mahāvīra and activities of his Nirgrantha followers in the Buddha's lifetime The Buddhist texts specifically mention Rajagaha (Rājagrha), Nalanda, Vesali (Vaisali), Pāvā, and Sāvatthi (Srāvasti), as places where the activities of Mahāvīra and his immediate followers were concentrated. These texts clearly mention Vesālī as the place where the religion of Mahavira found its staunch supporters among the Licchavis.
The Nirgranthas claimed that their Master was all-knowing and all-seeing and endowed with unlimited knowledge and vision', who alone could declare that, whether he was walking or standing
Sãmagāma Sutta, Majjhima N, I - Sāmaññaphala Sutta, Digha, I · Abhayarājakumara Sutta, M.N, I. • Majjhima-Nikāya, II, p 2.