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

Page 601

CHAPTER XVI
WANDERINGS AND MONSOON CAMPS
Both the great men of their age bear a close resemblance in their wanderings as well as in their monsoon camps. Both walked through Magadha, Videha, Käsi, Kosa la, Vatsa, Anga, Vajji, Malla and many other kingdoms. Rajagrha, Mithila, Vārāṇasī, Srāvasti, Kaušāmbi, Campā, Vaisāli and Pāvā, - these were the capitals of the aforesaid kingdoms. Both passed through these places many a time. Both spent a good number of their monsoons at these capital cities. According to the calculations given earlier in this book, both must have spent at least two monsoons together at Rājagsha.
A complete account of Mahavira's monsoon camps is given in the Kappa Sutta (1). Monsoon sojourns apart, the account of Mahavira's visit to other places is scattered throughout the Agamas in the context of other events. A chronological account of the events of Mahavira's life is contained in the niryukti, cūrni and commentary of the Ayas yaka, in the commentaries of the Kappa Sutta, and in the biographies of Mahavira written by Nemicandra, Gunacandra and Hemacandra. But their is no separate account of his wanderings and monsoon camps either in the Kappa Sutta or in other Jaina literary works. Some recent scholars, notably Muni Kalyanvijayji(2) and Acarya Vijayendra Suri(3) have sought to fill up this gap.
Regarding the wanderings and monsoon camps of the Buddha, we do not have a chronological account in the main Buddhist Pitakas. Effort has been made to record his monsoon camps at least after his enlightenment by the text of the Anguttara Nikāya Atthakathă(4), Rhys Davids (5), Rahul Sārkrtyāyana(6) and Bharat Singh Upadhyāya (7) have each sought to build up a complete account of the Buddha's wanderings and monsoon camps. Based on guess as these accounts are, they are likely to rais e more controversy than they would solve. But in the absence of more authentic sources, we have to make use of them for whatever worth they may be. Given below are the