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A Study in the Origins and Development of Jainism
of veracity, control, penance, and good conduct, the Venerable One meditated on himself for twelve years.”35
According to the Kalpa Sūtra in the thirteenth year on the tenth day of the month vaišākha Mahāvīra obtained kaivalya in the field of the householder Samaga near the town Jrimbhikagrāma situated on the bank of the river Rijupālikā. Now, ascetic Mahāvīra had become a jina, an arhat, a kevalin endowed with omniscience.
The later Jain texts mention the names of places visited by Mahāvīra during his ascetic life.36 Some scholars have ventured to identify those places and fix chronological order of their visits by Mahāvīra37. But their conjectures are highly doubtful. Further researches and explorations are needed on this point.
The Kalpa Sūtra gives an account of the sojourns of Mahāvīra in forty two rainy seasons after his renunciation. It is stated, 'In that period, in that age the Venerable Ascetic Mahāvīra stayed the first rainy season in Asthikāgrāma, three rainy seasons in Champã and Pșiştichampã, twelve in Vaiśāli and Vaniyagrãma, fourteen in Rajagriha and the suburbs of Nãlandā, six in Mithilā, two in Bhadrikā, one in Alabhikã, one in Panitabhumi, one in Śrāvasti, one in the town of Pãpã in king Hastipāla's office of the writers: that was his very last rainy season.38" The Bhagawati Sūtra also gives a list of the places visited by Mahāvīra which includes Nãlandã, Rājagriha, Paniyabhumi, Siddhãrthagãma and Kumărgăma. According to Uvāsagadasão Vānijyagrãma, Polãspura, Rājagriha and Śrāvasti were visited by Mahāvīra. Thus, the accounts of the Bhagawati Sūtra and Uvāsagadasão do not tally with that of Kalpa Sūtra. A critical look upon these accounts reveal that, by and large, the movement of Mahāvīra remained confined to some parts of eastern Uttar Pradesh and Western Northern and Central parts of Bihar. He casually visited the places outside these regions.
