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 success of the new building.  At almost as early a period the Mahava[=n]sa, composed in the fifth century A.D., fixes the appearance of the Nirgrantha in the island of Ceylon.  It is said that the king Pa[n.][d.]ukabhaya, who ruled in the beginning of the second century after Buddha, from 367-307 B.C. built a temple and a monastery for two Nirgranthas.  The monastery is again mentioned in the same work in the account of the reign of a later king Va[t.][t.]agamini, cir. 38-10 B.C.  It is related that Va[t.][t.]agamini being offended by the inhabitants, caused it to be destroyed after it had existed during the reigns of twenty one kings, and erected a Buddhist Sa[.n]gharama in its place.  The latter piece of information is found also in the Dipava[=n]sa of more than a century earlier. [Footnote:  Turnour, Mahava[.n]sa, pp. 66-67 and p. 203, 206:  Dipava[=n]sa XIX 14; comp. also Kern, Buddhismus, Bd.  I, S. 422.  In the first passage in the Mahava[.n] sa, three Nigha[n.][t.]as are introduced by name, Jotiya, Giri, and Kumbha[n.][d.]a.  The translation incorrectly makes the first a Brahma[n.] and chief engineer.]