________________
Jainas....some inscriptions on these lime-stone sculptures show reference to Godāsa, Uttara--the names of sthaviras mentioned in Jaina Pattāvalis ........Inscribed potsherds of first two periods give a better understanding of their association with the Jainas.... inscriptions on them reading as Viraka, Jinaka, arhantānam, siddhasa .......one important inscription reading as Jinona Vihāra shows direct reference to Jaina Vihara. "Another potsherd, of which Dr. Shastri has given me a photograph, reads Samprati Vihāra.
This is a very important discovery for the history of Jaina Sangha and Jaina Art. It clearly proves the historicity of the Bțhat-Kalpa-Sūtra and Bhāşya tradition about patronage to Jainism by Samprati, the Mauryan ruler and indirectly supports our assigning the Lohanipur statue to the age of Samprati, the Mauryan ruler.
( 41 )
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org