Siggava, when he had been in orders sixty-four years, ordained Tishya Maudgaliputra. This date 376 - 64 = 312 B.C. is called more than two years after Kandragupta's accession, and so it very nearly is, 315 - 2 = 313.

Siggava died when he had been in orders seventy-six years, i.e. 376 - 76 = 300 A.D. This year is called the fourteenth year of Kandragupta, which it very nearly is, 315 - 14 = 301.

When Tishya had been in orders sixty[1] years, he ordained Mahendra, 312 - 60 = 252 B.C. This is called six years after Asoka's coronation, 259 - 6 = 253, and so it very nearly is. He died 312 - 80 = 232 B.C., which is called the twenty-sixth year of Asoka, and so it very nearly is.

[1. I take 60 (80), as given in Dipavamsa V, 95, 107, instead of 66 (86), given in Dipavamsa V. 94.]

p. xliv

BUDDHIST PATRIARCHS.

{not all of the formatting could be reproduced in this table; all cells with three number are joined with a brace on the right in the original}

Birth. Ordination. Ordination of
successor. Death. Age. Patriarchate.
Upali (Generally
20 years
before
ordination.) 527 461 447 94 30
(60)
Dasaka 461 416
419
421 397 84 50
45
42
40
Saunaka " 416
419
421 376
379
381 350
353 86 44 (47)
(40)
Siggava " 376½ 312½ 300½ 96 50 (52)
(64)
Tishya " 312½ 253 233 100 68
(60)
Mahendra 273 253 " 193 80 40
282 (284)

If we test the dates of this table by the length of time assigned to each patriarchate, we find that Upali ruled thirty years, from Buddha's death, 477 to 447; Dasaka fifty years. To Saunaka forty-four years are assigned, instead of forty-seven, owing to a fault pointed out before; and to Siggava fifty-two years, or fifty-five[1] instead of fifty. Tishya's patriarchate is said to have lasted sixty-eight years, which agrees with previous statements.

Lastly, the years of the death of the six patriarchs, as fixed according to the reigns of the kings of Magadha, agree extremely well.

Upali died in the sixth year of Udayi, i.e. 453 - 6 = 447 B.C.

Dasaka died in the eighth year of Sisunaga, i.e. 405 - 8 = 397 B.C.

Saunaka died in the sixth year of the Ten, i.e. 359 - 6 = 353 B.C., showing again the difference of three years.

[1. The combined patriarchates of Saunaka and Siggava are given as 99 by the Dipavamsa.]

p. xlv

Siggava died in the fourteenth year of Kandragupta, i.e. 315 - 14 = 301 B.C.

Tishya died in the twenty-sixth or twenty-seventh year of Asoka, i.e. 259 - 27 = 233 B.C.