Agama And Tripitaka Comparative Study

SR No.: 022804
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Nagaraj Muni
Publisher: Today and Tomorrows Printers and Publishers
Publication Year: 1986
Total Pages: 804
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 19 MB

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full-moon day of the month Kartika as the day of Nirvāna. Some people say that 1200 years have passed since the Nirvāna, while others contend that 1500 years have passed, and some other believe that 900 and a few more years have passed since the Nirvana". On the basis of these beliefs, the dates of Buddha's Nirvana come out to be 570 B.C. 870 B.C. and a few years earlier than 270 B.C. respectively. But all these dates have no more value than the legends.
At present, there are several dates prevalent on the basis of different Buddhist traditions. One of these is based on the Ceylonese chronicle, Mahavamsa.(171). According to this, the Nirvana of Buddha took place in 544 B.C. (This is popularly known as 'Ceylonese date'). Another date is based on the "dotted record of canton (172)". Sanghabhadra brought this news to China. The people of Canton established a "Dotted record", the starting dot of which synchoronis ed with the year of Buddha's Nirvana. Then, every year a dot was added to it. This tradition continued up to 489 A, D. When all the dots were counted, they were found to be 975, on this basis, the date of Buddha's Nirvana was calculated to be 486 B.C.
There is a third date, prevailing in Chinese Turkestan. This is also known as 'Khotan tradition (173)'. "It place, Dhar ma - Asoka 250 years after the Nirvana of Buddha, and makes him contemporary with Chinese emperor Shih Huang-Ti (Chin), the builder of the great wall, who came to throne in 246 B.C., became, universal emperor in 221 B.C. and reigned up to 210 B.C". On the basis of this tradition, some scholars affirm that Buddha died in 246+250 = 496 B.C. (174).
Historian's Date of Buddha's Nirvāna
It is really surprising that in spite of the extensive research work, that has been carried into the problem of Buddha's date, the historians failed to reach an unanimous decision regarding it. Most of the scholars have put forth new opinion, and thus, they have elongated the list of these dates. The dates, suggested by the prominent scholars are enlisted here: