________________
XV11
PARISISTAPARVAN
be nearly 58 years, which is decidedly far too long to be admitted. The true average may be estimated at about 30 years, for the six patriarchates from Sudharman down to Bhadrabāhu lasted 170 years, which divided by 6, makes an average of 28 years --To sum up if we base our inquiry on the well-established dates of the schisms, we arrive at the conclusion that the list of theras 18 imperfectly handed down, there must have been far more theras than are contained in the Theravali -
One fundamental fault vitiating the early records of the Jainas is the confusion prevailing in their system of chronology An error contingent thereon appears in the account of the schisms
As entered in the table of the schisms, the 4th and 5th heresiarchs, Āsamitta and Ganga, were disciples of Kodinna and Dhanagutta, who themselves were disciples of Mahāgırı, and the 6th heresiaroh Rohagutta was a disciple of Sirigutta, disciple of Suhastin. The latter and Mahāgırı vere contemporaries, being partners in the eighth patriarchate Therefore those three heresiarchs, being prašisyas of Mahāgin and Subastın, must also have been contemporaneous or nearly so Nevertheless the 4th and 5th schisms are placed in 220 and 228 AY, and the 6th schism in 544 A V. Between the first to dates and the third there is a difference of about three centuries, though the events to which both set of dates refer are separated
1 In the Therävali Chaluga Rohagutta figures as a disciple of Mahagir? But this is apparently a mistake For if he had been a disciple of Mahāgurt, he would have been the senior of Asamitta and Ganga who were but disciples of Mahāgin's disciples, and this would not have been the 6th but the 4th schism Here then the Niryuktı deserves preference before the Theravali - The author of the Niryuktı belonged to the line of Suhastın, and had no doubt first hand information about its history, while about all that concerned Mahāgir and his lme he could but reproduce the statements of alien sources This difference accounts for the fact to be discussed in the text that the date of the 6th schism refers to the current Era of Mahavira, but those of the 4th and 3th to a greatly erroneous one
