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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.orgAcharya Shri Kailashsagarsuri Gyanmandir
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date some four centuries after Buddha's demise, and this date is no other than the closing period of the Sautrântika canon which is not earlier than the 2nd century B.C. The Fa-kheuking was subsequently recast in Classical Sanskrit by the Vaibhāşikas during the reign of Kanişka and the text prepared was a Dhammapada with 900 verses, i.e., the text portion of the Chul-yau-king original. The Udānavarga was but a second edition of the Vaibháşika text-the Udānavarga of Kaniska's time, and its date does not seem to be later than the 5th century A. D. One must ansiously await the discovery of the stone receptacle containing the copper plates on which the Vaibhāzika canon and commentaries were engraved by the order of King Kaniska Hiuen Thsang tells us that King Kanişka had built a stūpa over this stone receptacle. After the examiuation of the traditions we feel convinced that the 2nd century B.C. was the closing date of the Sautrántik: canon. We have reasons even to believe that about this tim the canon of each of the earlier schools was closed. It has been shown in our monograph on Asoka's Dhamma that a number of books were added to the Pāli canon in post-Asokan times, e.g., the Kathāvatthu, the Petavatthu, the Buddhavamsa, the Cariya Pitaka, the Apadāna and the Khuddakapātha. Vasumitra speaks of a second Mahādeva Council, convened, no doubt, during a post-Asokan period, on the lines of the Mahāsarghika.: Two Mahādevas are important personages in the history of Buddhism, one who is said to have been sent as a missionary to Mabisamandala (Mysore) during the reign of King Asoka' and another who was invited to Ceylon from the Pallava country in the time of King Dutthagāmant.* There are two inscriptions on the railing of the Bharhut Stūpa recording the feats of miracle performed by a Mabādeva. It cannot, therefore, be doubted that there livou a great Buddhist leader, named
1 Beal's 'Records of the Wostern World, I. p. 150. · Journal of the Doportmout of Lottors, Vol. I., p. 6. CJ. J. R. A. 8., 1910, P. 4138. Mallya 18a, xii. v. 8.
• Ibid, rix. , 38.
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