ol. XXII, p. xvi, the error was caused, by the only
disciple of Vardhamana, who outlived his master, Sudharman being an
Agnive['s]yayana.] It is quite to be understood that perfect exactness is
not to be expected among the Buddhists or any other sect in describing the
person of a hated enemy. Enmity and scorn, always present, forbid that.
The most that one can expect is that the majority and most important of
the facts given may agree.

This condition is undoubtedly fulfilled in the case on hand. It cannot,
therefore be denied, that, in spite of this difference, in spite also of
the absurdity of one article of the creed ascribed to him, Vardhamana
Jnatiputra, the founder of the Nirgrantha--or Jaina community is none
other than Buddha's rival. From Buddhist accounts in their canonical works
as well as in other books, it may be seen that this rival was a dangerous
and influential one, and that even in Buddha's time his teaching had
spread considerably. Their legends about conversions from other sects very
often make mention of Nirgrantha sectarians, whom Buddha's teaching or
that of his disciples had alienated from their faith. Also they say in
their descriptions of other rivals of Buddha, that these, in order to gain
esteem, copied the Nirgrantha and went unclothed, or that they were looked
upon by the people as Nirgrantha holy ones, because they happened to have
lost their clothes. Such expressions would be inexplicable if Vardhamana's
community had not become of great importance. [Footnote: See for the
history of Siha related above, Spence Hardy, _Manual of Budhism_, pp.
226, 266, and Jacobi, _Ind. Antiq._ Vol. VIII, p. 161]

This agrees with several remarks in the Buddhist chronicles, which assert
the existence of the Jainas in different districts of India during the
first century after Buddha's death. In the memoirs of the Chinese Buddhist
and pilgrim Hiuen Tsiang, who visited India in the beginning of the
seventh century of our era, is to be found an extract from the ancient
annals of Magadha, which proves the existence of the Nirgrantha or Jainas
in their original home from a very early time. [Footnote: Beal,
_Si-yu-ki._ Vol. II, p. 168.] This extract relates to the building of
the great monastry at Nalanda, the high school of Buddhism in eastern
India, which was founded shortly after Buddha's _Nirva[n.]a_, and
mentions incidentally that a Nirgrantha who was a great astrologer and
prophet had prophesied the future