History and Doctrines of the Ajivikas: A Vanished Indian Religion c12.s3.4

c12.s3.4

Here the thread of the story is broken by another pronouncement of Mahāvīra to his disciples.³ He declared that the magic heat (teye) which was destroying Gosāla was sufficient to reduce the sixteen great regions (jaṇavayā) to ashes. He further stated that, to hide the shame of his objectionable conduct (vajja), Gosāla would lay down the doctrine of the eight last things (carimāim),⁴ and of the four drinks (pāṇagāim) and the four substitutes for drink (apāṇagāim).⁵