History and Doctrines of the Ajivikas: A Vanished Indian Religion c13.s2.11

c13.s2.11

The *Divyāvadāna* tells a slightly different story. The instigator of the miracle-contest is here said to be the tempter, Māra. In the form of Pūraṇa he suggested to Maskarin that the Buddha should be challenged to a contest; in the form of Maskarin he repeated the suggestion to Sañjayin, and so on from one of the six heretics to another. The six then asked King Bimbisāra to arrange the contest, but, mindful of the Buddha's orders, he refused. Thereupon the heretics left for Śrāvastī, followed by the Buddha, who knew of their plans by virtue of his superhuman insight. King Prasenajit of Kosala was more favourable to the ascetics' proposal than had been Bimbisāra, and he carried the challenge to the Buddha, who was staying at the Jetavana. The Buddha agreed to take part in a miracle contest after an interval of seven days. Meanwhile the heretics gathered their supporters together and laid their plans.