________________ 252 Homage to Vaisali 5. In the ancient Jain Scriptures there are no references to mountains when Ksatriyakunda is mentioned. Indeed, Kundagrama, as the name itself indicates, was a village. There are no mountai ns at or near Basukunda or Vaisali, whereas the so-called Ksatriyakunda of these days is situated on the mountain. Thus Basukunda near Vaigali seems to be the real birthplace of Mahavira, and not Licchuar or Ksatriyakunda or Kundalapura. 6. The people of Vaisali and the adjoining areas regard Basukunda as the birthplace of Mabavira. Thus tradition also supports our view. Below we propose to quote the views of eminent European and Indian scholars to show that they too regard Vaisall as the birthplace of Mabavira or that Basadha is identified with the ancient capital of the Licchavis to which clan Mahavira belonged. 1. In the Sacred Books of the East, Volumes 22 (Jaina Sutras, Part One) and 45 (Jaina Sutras, Part Two) are devoted to the Jaina sacred books. They have been translated into English by Hermann Jacobi, one of the greatest authorities on Jainism and Jaina Literature. In Vol. 22, pp. x-xiii (Introduction) he has discussed the birthplace and parentage of Lord Mahavira. There he says: "The Jainas, both Svetambaras and Digambaras, state that Mabavira was the son of King Siddhartha of Kundapura or Kundagrama. Kundagrama is called in the Acaranga Sutra a Sampivesa, a term which the commentator interprets as denoting a halting-place of caravans or processions. By combining occasional hints in the Bauddba and Jaina scriptures we can, with sufficient accuracy, point out where the birthplace of Mahavira was situated; for in the Mahavagga of the Buddhists we read that Buddha, while sojourning at Kotiggama, was visited by the courtezan Ambapali and the Licchavis of the neighbouring capital Vesali. From Kotiggama be went to where the Natikas (lived). There he lodged in the Natika Brick-hall. From there he went to Vesali, where he converted the general-in-chief (of the Licchavis), a lay-disciple of the Nirgranthas (or Jaipa monks). Now it is bigbly probable that the Kotiggama of the Buddhists is identical with the Kundaggama of the Jainas. Apart from the similarity of the names, the mentioning of the Natikas, apparently identical with the Jratnika Ksatriyas to whose clan Mahavira belonged, and of Siha, the Jaina, point to the same direction. Kundagrama, there. fore, was probably one of the suburbs of Vaisali, the capital of Videha. This conjecture is borne out by the name Vesalie, i. e., Vaigalika given to Mahavira in the Sutra-kritanga I, 3. Vaisalika apparently means a native
