Dear Ven. Sujato,
It helps a lot by your supportive informations.
The story of King Ajaatasattu is of greater importance due to the
connections of King Ajaatasattu in Devadatta events described in
Vinaya and in Amitabha (Amita Buddha) sutta of Mahayana.
It is quite astonished that reports from Fa-Sian (AD 400) and
Hsuan-Chuang(AD 700) that there were still deciples worshiping
Devadatta in Kasmira and Sravati while they were visiting India.
The "Nidana" of "Amitabha Sutta" is Buddha delivered the Doctrine
(or teaching about the world) of Amitabha while Bimbisara has been
put into prison by his son Ajaatasattu.
If, just if, the story of Ajaatasattu is a legend and fable
instaed of historical events, then we have to examine the whole story
again and treat this event against Buddha's doctrine, not just to
take belief in it.
Could you give the short description of Jainism's version about
King Ajaatasattu to me.