Path of Arhat

Author(s): T U Mehta
Publisher: Sohanlal Smarak Parshwanath Shodhpitha Varanasi

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The Path of Arhat : A Religious Democracy
nkara. He had a large following which lasted till number of years even after his death. But at present we have not got any literature to reveal the principles of his philosophy except the tendentious references in Jaina and Bauddha scriptures. Mahavíra himself considered him as the last authority on Ājivika philosophy by which his Niyativāda was known. According to Mahavira, Gośäla's soul has attained higher level of life because at the end he repented for his behaviour.
Mahavira's association with Gošala is an unhappy episode in his life. It was an association of long six years when Gosala also had undergone many austerities, trials and tribulations along with Mahavira. Once when Gošala saw an ascetic performing severe penances and putting lices on his body to feed them, Gośāla repeatedly mocked and cut jokes at him which infuriated the ascetic who cursed and threw his 'Tejolesya' ( magic fire) at him. This would have reduced Gosala to ashes but for the counter action of Mahá vöra, who threw his cooling power to extinguish the said fire. This intervention of Mahāvira saved the life of Gośāla, but the latter himself mastered the power of throwing 'Tejoleśya' on his adversary.
There is no historical record to show what was the root cause of the final quarrel between these two great men, However, the available material shows that many of the prominent followers of Gośāla were influenced by Mahavira's philosophy and were deserting the Ajövika faith of Gośāla. 'Saddālaputta' was a very rich and influential disciple of Gośāla. He came in contact with Mahāvīra and was convinced that the theory of determinism does not explain fully the events of the phenomenal world and that man's own efforts do play a great part in the moulding of life events. He was converted to Mahavira's line of thinking. When Gošala knew this, he tried to reconvert 'Saddālaputta' but in vain. Gośāla also tried to convert Ananda, a well known disciple of Mahā vīra but failed. These incidents show that Gośāla was not happy with the increasing popularity of Mahavira's doctrines. As a matter of fact, he was proclaiming himself to be the last of