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IIRUP.IRUTTIKUNRAM OR JINA-KANCHI
it may be mentioned, however, that the title 'a Bhairava of disputants' was borne by Taina monks also. *
15. TIRUPARUTTIKUNRAM OR JINA-KANCHI.
The Digambara Jainas of the Tamil country speak of four seats of learning (Vidyāsthānas or Chatus-simhāsanas), those being Kollāpura, Jina-Kanchipura, Penukonda and Delhi, The Mysore Jainas have a different list. Burgess suggested that JinaKāñchīpura was perhaps the present Chittánur in South Arcot District. Bur the local tradition associating the name of JinaKāñchipura with the village of Tiruparuttikunram, the high repute of Kanchi as a scat of learning (Ghatikā-Sthāna) from very early times, and the reference in many other Jaina texts and traditions to Kanchipura as one of the Vidyasthānas, warrant the identification of the present village of Tiruparuttikunram with Jina-Kāñchi. The mutts at Delhi and Penukonda are not traceable now.
The monuments of Conjeevaram (Kāñchi) bear testimony to the fact that the city was a stronghold of people of varicus religions from very early times. Buddhism, Jainism, Saivism and Vaishnavism, each in its turn, had powerful hold over the cry and have left umistakable niarks of their influence. According to Hiuen Tsiang, who visited Conjeevaran in about 640 A.D., "Kāñchi is as old as Buddha, Buddha converted its people, Dharınapāla Bodhisattva was born there, and Asoka bu'lt several stūpas in its neighbourhoo!". He further states that the "Jainas were very numerous in his day," and thal "Buddhism and Brahmanism were about on a par".
*A, R. S. I, E. 1998. p. 78.
