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bear fruits. The shrub, owing to a lucky fall of rain, came to life again and bore fruits. From this Gosala derived the conclusion that everything is pre-determined and that all living beings are capable reanimation. Mahavira did not favour such generalisations. Consequently Gosāla had to severe his association with Mahavira. He then found his own sect called Ajiviya. From Siddhatthapura Gosala went to Savatthi and followed a course of rigorous asceticism for a period of six months at the pottery of Halahala. This course enabled him to acquire the super-normal power of tejolesyä."
579
Mahāvīra reached Vesali from Siddhatthapura and from there he went to Vaniyaggama crossing the river Gamḍaia by boat. Then he came to Sāvatthi and spent his tenth rainy season there,65
From Savatthi Mahavira went to Sanulatthi, Pedhalaggama in Daḍhabhūmi, Valuya(1), Subhoma(1), Succhittä, Malaya(3), Hatthisisa, Tosali(1) Mosali, again to Tosali, Siddhatthapura, Vayaggama, Alabhiya, Seyaviyā, again to Sāvatthi, Kosambi, Vāṇārasi, Rāyagiha, Mithila and then to Vesäli where he spent his eleventh rainy season."
Mahavira
Then the venerable ascetic went to Sumsumarapura where Camara(1) came down to see him.67 Then he reached Bhogapuri, Namdīgāma(1) and Memdhiyagama. When he came to Kosambi from Memḍhiyagama, he took a most difficult abhigraha (self-imposed restriction) in the matter of accepting food. It was fulfilled after six months less five days at the hands of Camdana(1). From Kosambi Mahavira went to Sumamgala(3), Succhittä, Palaga(6) and then to Campā where he passed his twelfth rainy season.
Then Mahavira araived at Jambhiyagama. From there he went to Memḍhiyagama, Chammāņi, Majjhimā-Pāvā and back to Jambhiyagama. At Chammani, a cowherd tortured Mahavira by piercing wooden pegs into his ears.70
64. AvaCu. I. pp. 298-9, Bha. 542ff. 65. AvaCu. I. pp. 299-300, AvaN. 495ff. 66. AvaCu. I. pp. 300-315, AvaN. 508518.
Thus, the venerable Mahavira passed twelve years of his ascetic life with equanimity, performed hard and long penances and endured all afflictions and calamities with undisturbed mind." During the thirteenth year on the tenth day of the bright fortnight of the month of Vaisakha when the moon was in conjunction with constellation Hatthuttara and the shadow had turned towards the east, Mahāvīra obtained omniscience under a Śāla tree
67. Bha. 144, 148.
68. AvaCu. I. pp. 317-9, AvaN. 519522.
69. AvaCu. I. p. 320, AvaN. 523-4.
Jain Education International
70. AvaCu. I. p. 321, AvaN. 525-6. 71. AvaN. 528, 538, AvaCu. I. pp. 246ff. Vis. 1911ff., Aca. p. 277ff. See Bha. 579, Sth. 750, AvaBha. 113 and AvaCu. I. p. 274 for his last ten dreams. See Aca. ch. 9 in the first section for a detailed description of the same.
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