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भ० महावीर-स्मृति-अंधा
तित्यारा साधुसम्मता बहुननस, तेव्ययीदं पूरणो कन्सपो, सक्सलि गोसालो, अजिनो केसकंबली, पकुषो कन्टायनो, संजयो वेलदिपुत्तो, निगण्ठो नावपुत्तो, ते उपसंकमित्वा ते पञ्हे पुन्छति । ते सभियेन परिवानकेन पन्हे वा न संपायन्ति.......। अय खो समिपास परिष्वाजास एवंदहोति -- अयंऽपि समणो गोतमो सधी चेष गणी व गणाचरियो व जातो यसत्ती तित्यारो साधुसम्मतो बहुजनस; यन्नाह समण गोतनं उपसंकमिला इमे पञ्हे पुच्छेश्वंऽति । अथ सो सभियरस पारबाबत एतदहोसि-येऽपि खो ते भोन्नो उमण ब्राह्मणा जिष्णा बुद्धा महलका अगता क्यो अनुप्पसा येरा रतभूचिर पध्नजिता संघिनो गणिनो गणाचरिया आता यसत्तिनो तित्यारा साधुसम्मता बहुजनरस, तेश्यीद पूरण कन्सपो. . पे .. निगण्ठो नातपुत्तो, तेऽपि मया फहे पुहो न संपायन्ति,......किं पन मे समणो गोतमो इमे पन्हे पुष्टो व्याकरित्सति । समणो हि गोतमो दहरो वेष वातिया नवो च पञ्चजायादि ।
ie At one time Bhagavā i. c. Buddha #25 dwelling at Rajagrha in Vendrana, in Kalandaka-aitāpa. At that time some questions were recited to Sabhiya, a wandering mendicant, by a deity who had in a former birth been a relation of his "He who, O Sabhiga, be it a Sramana or a Brahmana, explains these questions to you when asked, Dear him you should lire a religious life'. Then Sabbiya went to whatever Sramaras and Brahmanas there were, who had an assembly of Bhiksus, and acrord of followers, and were well-known teachers, famous leaders and Tere considered excellent by the multitude, such as (1) Purana Kassapa,(2)Makkhali Gosala, (3) Ajita Kesakambali, (4) Pakuddha Kacchāyana, (5) Sañjaya Belathiputta and (6) Nigantha Nataputta, ter ifalhivira and asked these questions. They, however, did not succeed in answering them....... Then it struck Sabhiya: This Sramana Gautama, i. e Buddha, too has an assembly of Bhikşus and a crord of followers, and is a well-known teacher, a famous leader, and is considered escellent by the multitude; surely I think I shall go to bim and ask him these questions. Then again it struck Sabhiya : Whaterer Sramaņas and Brāhmans there are, are decayed, old, aged, advanced 11 years having reached old age, experienced elders, long ordained, having assembles of Bhiksus, crowds of followers, being teachers well-known, famous leaders, considered excellent by the multitude, such as (1) Purana Kassapa .... ...... and (6) Nigantha Nataputta i e. Mahavira, and they, being asked questions by me, did not succeed in answering them... .I should like to know Thether Sramana Gautama i. e. Buddha, will be able to explain them to me, for Sramana Gautama is both young by birth and niet in Ascilic life
Thus it appears that Buddha and Mahāyira Tere contemporaries for some or sereral years. And besides, since in that period of their contemporaneity Mahärira is said to have been old, aged and adranced in years, while at the same time Buddha is known to have been young by birth and new in ascetic ilfe, Buddha would necessarily be much younger than Mahāvira, younger in age as well as in asceticism, and therefore quite a junior contem
