Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c19.170

c19.170

Thus we see that after twelve years of severe penance and meditation Mahāvīra attained omniscience at the age of forty two, and lived thereafter for thirty years to preach his religion. According to the Kalpasūtra,⁵ since Mahāvīra renounced the life of a householder, he spent forty two rainy seasons at the following places. He stayed the first rainy season in Atthiyaggāma, three rainy seasons in Campā and Pitthicampā, and eight in Vasālī and Vāniyagāma. These twelve rainy seasons Mahāvīra passed during his ascetic life before he attained omniscience. Then during the thirty years of his career as a Teacher, Mahāvīra spent four rainy seasons in Vesālī and Vāniyagāma, fourteen in Rāyagaha and Nālandā, six in Mithilā, two in Bhaddiya, one in Ālabhiyā, one in Paṇiyabhūmi one in Sāvatthī and one in the town of Pāvā in the office of the survey-ministers of king Hatthivāla which was the last rainy season of the Teacher.