Reconsidering Date Of Nirvana Of Lord Mahavira

Author(s): Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Z_Jaina_Literature_and_Philosophy_a_Critical_Approach_001936_HR.pdf

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Aspects of Jainology Volume VI
Ajātasatru's accession to the throne Mahavira's age must be about 50 years, because his Nirvana is supposed to have taken place in the 22nd year of Ajatasatru Kunika's rule. By deducting 22 years from his total age of 72 years, it is proved that at that time he was 50 years old (see Vira Nirvana Samvat aur Jaina Kāla Ganana, pp. 4-5). So far as Buddha's case is concerned, he attained his Nirvana in the 8th year of Ajätasatru's accession to the throne. This is the hypothesis of Buddhist writers. This hypothesis given rise to two facts. Firstly, when Mahavira was 50 years old, Buddha was 72 (80-8), i.e. Buddha was 22 years older than Mahavira. Secondly, Maḥāvira's Nirvana took place 14 years after Buddha's Nirvana (22-8-14). It is worth mentioning here, that in the reference occuring in the Dighanikāya (Sāmaññaphalasutta : 2 2 8), where Nirgrantha Jñātrṛputra and other five Tirthankaras have been called middle-aged, there is no mention of Gautama Buddha's age, but he must be 72 at that time because this event took place during the rule of Ajātaśatru Kuņika and Buddha's Nirvana took place in the 8th year of the rule of Ajätaśatru.
But contrary to the above-mentioned fact one finds another information in the Dighanikaya that Mahāvīra has attained Nirvana during Buddha's life-time. The reference from the Dighanīkāya is as follows (Pāsādikasutta: 6:1 : 1)20
"I heard this once that the Lord was residing in a palace built in the mango orchard of the Sakyas known as Vedhaññā in Śākya (country).
At that time Nigantha Nataputta (Tirthankara Mahavira) had recently died at Pāvā. A rift was created among the Niganthas after his death. They were divided into two groups and were fighting by using arrows of bitter words at one-another- "you don't know this Dharmavinaya (=Dharma), I know it. How can you know this Dharmavinaya? you are wrong in ascertaining, (your understanding is wrong), I am rightly ascertained. My understandint is correct. My words are maningful and yours are meaningless. The things you should have told first you told in the end and vice-versa. Your contention is mindless and topsyturvy. You presented your theory and withdrew. You try to save yourself from this allegation and if your have power, try to save yourself from this allegation and if you have power, try to resolve it. As if a war (-slaughtering) was going on among the Niganthas."
The house-holder disciples of the Nigantha Nataputta, wearing white dresses, also were getting indifferent,
distressed and alienated from the Dharma of Nigantha which was not expressed properly (durakhyāta), not properly investigated (duspravedita), unable to redeem (anairyäika), unable to give peace (ana-upasama-Samvartanika), not verified by any enlightened (a-Samyak- Sambuddhapravedita) without foundation = a different stupa and without a shelter."
Thus, we see that in the Tripitaka literature, on the one hand where Mahāvīra has been described as middleaged, on the otherhand, there is an information about the death of Mahavira during the life-time of Buddha. Since, according to the sources based on Jaina literature, Mahavira died at the age of 72, it is certain that both the facts cannot be true at the same time. Muni Kalyana Vijaya ji (Vira Nirvana Samvat aur Jaina Kāla Gaṇanā, 1987, p. 12) has called the theory of Mahavira Nirvana during the life-time of Buddha as a mistaken concept. He maintains that the incident of Mahavira's demise is not a reference to his real death, but to a hearsay. It is alos clearly mentioned in Jaina Agamic texts that 16 years before his Nirvana, rumour of his death had spread, hearing which many Jaina Sarmanas started shedding tears. Since the incident of the bitterargument between Makkhaligosāla, a former disciple of Mahavira, and his other Śramana disciples was linked with this rumour, the present reference from the Dighanikaya about the dath of Mahavira during the life time of Buddha is not to be taken as that of his real death, rather it indicated to the rumour of his death by burning fever caused by Tejoleśyä, hurled upon him by agitated and acutely jealous Makkhaligosāla after dispute.
Buddha's Nirvāṇa must have taken place one year and few months after the rumour abour Mahavira's death, therefore, Buddha must have attained Nirvana 14 years, 5 months and 15 days before Mahavira's Nirvana.
Since Buddha's Nirvana took place in the 8th year of Ajātaśatru Kunika's accession to the throne, Mahavira's Nirvāņa must have taken place in the 22nd year of his accession. Vira Nirvana must have taken place in the 22nd year of his accession (Vira Nirvana Samvat aur Jaina Kāla Gaṇanā, p. 4). Therefore, it is certain that Mahavira's Nirvana took place 14 years after the Nirvana of Buddha. The fixation of the date of Buddha's Nirvana would definitely influence the date of Mahavira's Nirvana. First of all we shall fix the date of Mahavira on the basis of the Jaina sources and inscriptions and then we will find out what should be the date of Buddha's Nirvana and whether it is supported by the other sources.