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CHAPTER 51
THE ETHICAL BACKGROUND In the temple of Abu it is the marvellous architectural wealth that eclipses the quiet influence of the image of the Jina inside. The Jaina temple is intended to be a place for quiet meditation on the qualities of Jina and on one's pursuit of the same. This is intended by the construction itself: the garbha-gṛha, Sukanäsikä, mukha-mandapa, etc., add to the dignity and serenity of the atmosphere.
The mana-stambha, found in front of some of the temples in the south, is a fine pillar, rich in artistic details and having a sarvatobhadra image in the square done at the top. It is symbolic: it illustrates how small one is by its side and how one's vanity of greatness should melt away when one comes to the temple.
In fine, the ethical background of Jaina art and architecture aims at evolving atman, into paramatman and cultivates the spirit of piety, peace, serenity, detachment, charitable disposition, devotion to learning and pious living as well as to austerity and renunciation, in the minds of the devotees.
A. N. UPADHYE
