Jaina Archaeology Outside India

SR No.: 007644
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jineshwardas Jain
Publisher: Bharat Varshiya Digambar Jain Mahasabha
Publication Year: 2011
Total Pages: 105
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 3 MB

Page 97

of that place. It is a well doumented fact that Bharat, the eldest son of Lord Rishabh was made the ruler of Bharavarsha and he established cities in India having the similar popular names such as Ayodhya, Champa, Chadapuri, Signhpuri, Vaisali, Hastinapur etc. The Aryans were the strong followers of Jaina faith, hence even after they sett|4dm in India they built the famous temples such Angkorvat (Five Meru temples), 52 towered temple Angkorthom etc. with a stone structure, since by the start of 9th century the Indians had become expert in building temples with stone structures. The same technology they used in consructing the Borobudur, Angkor temples etc, in the south-east Asian region. As mentioned earlier that Thailand ,Cambodia, Vietnam Laos seem to be Videha regions since an inscription at Angkorvat mentions about the visit of Muni Kundakunda at Angkorvat and in jaina literature he is supposd to have visited Videha region. In Burma, even now one part of Burma is called Ayerawat region (see fig. ).One may find the names of two rivers-_There has been an inscription in Vedal, Wandwash Taluk, North Arcot dstrict in India on a boulder in font of a natural cave about King Aditya of Red river and Black river in the map (Fig. ) the same names of rivers have appeared as Rakta and Raktoda rivers in the Ayerawat region according to Tilloyapanati. Hence confidently it can be ascetained that these are the famous and revered Videha and Ayerawat regions of Jambodvipa.
Although the Pavapuri in Bihar is being reported to be the nirvana place of lord Mahavir in the Indian literature, but I differ in this regard. If Lord Mahavir got nirvana from this placed then even after his nirvana thousands of kevalies would have been found in Inda. But the fact is this that Muni Kundakunda had to go to Videha region for any Kevaly for acquiring real knowledge. Moreover, if we look at the list of cities in the videha region, most of the tirthankaras birth places are still found in Thailand, Cambodia, burma and Chines regions. Vaishali is situated at the bank of Irrawady river wich is in Ayerawat region of Burma,In suppot of the above statement we can argue as follows; Angkor city was destroyed in 14th century AD and withibn a period of 200 years itself the world had forgotten such magnificient temples. It was only in 1570 AD that one Chinese wandererhad mentioned he existence of a great ruined complex of temples in Cambodia. More details about these temples were known only after 1850 AD. There is no wonder that the ruling families of Lord Mahaveir and Lord Buddha shifted to India during an upsurge by local tribes against these royal families and when they settled in Indisa they named some cities
97