1919.] Five heretical teachers on Jainism and Buddhism. 125 
up by these Titthiyas. The same Sutta points out that the 
disciples of these teachers carried on philosophical discussions 
with indomitable energy and boldness characterising the spirit 
of the age. In spite of the general tendency of the Jaina works 
that Gosala attained Jinahood and that he was recognised as a 
teacher at Savatthi some two years before Mahavira. In the 
Sabhiva Sutta of the Suttanipata,! a wandering teacher named 
Sabhiya asked Buddha if he was younger in age than the six 
distinguished teachers and junior to them by renunciation. 
as 
edited by Faiisboll, pp. 91-92). But we have another important 
passage which definitely states the fact that the Samana Gotama 
was a younger contemporary of these six teachers. 
The Samagama Sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya® and the 
Patika Sutta of the Digha Nikaya (Vol. III) bear evidence to 
the fact that Nigantha Nathaputta or Mahavira predeceased 
dha by afew years. Dr. Heernle conjectures that Mahavira 
died some five years before the Buddha.* It follows from the 
evidence of the Abhayarajakumara Sutta* of the Majjhima 
Nikaya that Mahavira was aware of the fact of dissension 
between Buddha and Devadatta. In the opinion of Prof. Kern, 
Notwithstanding persistent insinuations as to Gosala being 
formerly a disciple of Mahavira and as to his rupture with 
his teacher there is room for doubt if Gosala had ever been 
a disciple of. Mahavira. While the malicious Jaina accounts 
1 p. 91 (P. T. 8). 2 Vol. II (P. T. 8), p. 243. 
3 Fr ivikas Hantine Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics). 
+ Majjhima Nikaya, Vol. I, p. 392. 
5 Kern’s Indian Buddhism, pp. 38-39. 
6 Upasakadasao, Tr., pp. 110-111. 
