Unknown Pilgrims

SR No.: 007014
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: N Shanta
Publisher: Sri Satguru Publications Delhi
Publication Year: 1997
Total Pages: 820
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 19 MB

Page 185

The Followers of the Ever Growing One
the brevity of the texts one finds some details here and there, for example, that Arya Jaya was the sister of a vācaka, or preacher, called Arya Samdhika; and that the son of Arya Kumāramitrā was a gandika or dealer in perfumes, which permits us to suppose that she was a widow or that she had chosen the way of asceticism with the permission of her husband.85
To give an idea of these inscriptions, here are three of them: - on the base of an image:
86
165
In the year 4, during the Ist month of summer, the 20th day thereof, the convert (saḍhachari)86 of Sihamitra (Simhamitra), the disciple (śisini) of Sathisiha (Śaśțisimha), the disciple (śiśini) of Pusyamitra...87 of Vārana gaṇa, of Ārya Hāṭṭakiya (Arya Hāṭṭakiya) kula, of Vajanagari (Vārjanagari) śākha...the gift...together with Grahacheta [and] Grahadāsa.
on the pedestal of an image:
In the year 15, the third month of summer, the first day: the gift of a four-faced image of Bhagavat by Kumāramitā (Kumāramitrā), first wife of śreșthin Veni, at the request of Aryya Vasula (Arya Vasula) the disciple (śisini) of Aryya Sangamikā (Arya Samgamikā) the disciple (śiśini) of Aryya Jayabhūti (Arya Jayabhūti) of Mehika kula.88
85 Ibid. inscrs. 21; 39; cf. Bühler, EI, vol. I, p. 380.
Bühler, EI, vol. II, inscr. xi (n.35) "female convert, sadhachari or śrāddhachari, the translation is merely tentative."
87 Ibid., (n. 33) "at the end of the line the name of the nun has been lost, probably also the word nirvartanā." N.B. the organisation into ganas, kulas
and śākhās.
88 Lüders, EI, vol. X, App. inscr. 24. Śreṣthin denotes an artisan, the president of a corporation; Lūders translates it by "banker"; cf. Thapar, 1981, p.112 on the same subject. We notice the relationship of śravikā to Aryikā, of the disciples (Āryikās) among themselves and with an Arya. The name Kumāramitrā is the same as that of Ārya Kumāramitra of inscr. 39, the