Schools and Sects in Jaina Literature

Author(s): Amulyachandra Sen
Publisher: Vishwa Bharati Calcutta

Page 17

SCHOOLS AND SECTS IN JAINA LITERATURE
place to place exhibiting a picture. Manklali once came with his wife Bhaddā to Saravana and took up his lodging in the cow-shed of a wealthy Brahman called Gobahula and Gosāla was born here. He followed his father's calling. At one time Mahāvīra was residing in a weaver's house at Nālandā where Gosāla also happened to come in course of his wanderings. A householder named Vijaya of the city of Rāyagaha entertained Mahavira with great honours. Gosāla heard of this from the people and meeting Mahāvira offered to be his disciple whereupon the latter gave no reply. The same offer was made by Gosāla on two subsequent occasions with the same result. Mahāvīra left Nalanda and Gosāla in his mood of dejection gave away his belongings, shaved his head and went away. He met Mahāvīra again in Paniyabhūmi, repeated his offer and it was accepted this time. They lived together in that place for six years."!
Once on the road from Siddhatthaggama to Kummaggama they came across a sesamum shrub in blossom. Gosāla asked if it would die and if so where its seeds would reappear. Mahāvīra replied that the shrub would die but its seeds would appear again in the pods of the same shrub. Gosāla disbelieved this, called Mahāvīra a liar, and going up to the shrub uprooted it but a shower of rain having fallen the shrub took root again and Mahāvīra's prophecy was fulfilled. Now they went on to Kundaggāma on the outskirts of which they met the ascetic Vessayaņa practising penances with his arms uplifted, his face turned towards the sun, and his body covered with lice. Gosāla asked the ascetic if he was an ascetic or a lice-heap. This enraged Vessayaņa who released his fiery forces (teullese) to burn Gosāla but Mahāvīra out of pity for Gosāla counteracted the forces by releasing his own forces. Finding himself thwarted Vessayaņa exclaimed "That will do, Sir, that will do." Gosāla questioned Mahāvīra about the meaning of such exclamation and the latter explained what was about to happen. Then Gosāla enquired how long it took to acquire such forces and how such forces could be acquired. Mahāvīra answered that it could be acquired by dint of penances. Afterwards when they were on their way to Siddhatthaggāma they happened to pass the sesamum shrub mentioned before. Gosāla narrated to Mabāvīra his past prophecy and claimed that it had been falsified as the shrub was yet alive. Mahāvīra explained that Gosāla's uprooting it on the previous occasion had fulfilled his prophecy about its death and the coming down of the shower which revived it had caused the seeds to appear in the pods, for
51 According to Kalpa. S.5.122, Mahāvira lived only a year in Paņiyabhūmi..