the history of Buddha also appear in the Jaina legend. It is through the
kingdoms of Kosala, Videha and Magadha, that Buddha is said to have
wandered preaching, and their capitals Śrâvastî and Râjagṛiha are
just the places named, where he founded the largest communities. It is
also told of the inhabitants of Vaiśâlî that many turned to his
doctrine. Many legends are told of his intercourse and friendship with
Bimbisâra or Śreṇika, king of Videha, also of the murder of the
latter by his son Ajâtaśatru, who, tortured with remorse, afterwards
approached Buddha; mention is also made of his brother Abhayakumâra,
likewise Makkhali Gosâla is mentioned among Buddha's opponents and rivals.
It is thus clear that the oldest Jaina legend makes Vardhamâna a fellow
countryman and contemporary of Buddha, and search might be suggested in
the writings of the Buddhists for confirmation of these assumptions. Such
indeed are to be found in no small number.

Even the oldest works of the Singalese Canon,—which date apparently from
the beginning of the second century after Buddha's death, or the fourth
century B.C., and which at any rate had their final edition in the
third,—frequently mention an opposing sect of ascetics, the
Nigaṇṭha, which the northern texts, written in Sanskrit, recognise
among the opponents of Buddha, under the name Nirgrantha, whom an old
_Sûtra_ [Footnote: The _Mahâparinibbâṇa Sutta_, in
_S.B.E_. Vol. XI, p. 106.] describes as "heads of companies of
disciples and students, teachers of students, well known, renowned,
founders of schools of doctrine, esteemed as good men by the multitude".
Their leader is also named; he is called in Pâli Nâtaputta, in Sanskrit
Jñâtiputra, that is the son of Jñâti or Nâta. The similarity between these
words and the names of the family Jñâti, Jñâta or Naya, to which
Vardhamâna belonged is apparent. Now since in older Buddhist literature,
the title 'the son of the man of the family N. N.' is very often used