Comprehensive History Of Jainism

SR No.: 022803
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Aseem Kumar Chatterjee
Publisher: Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt Ltd
Publication Year: 2000
Total Pages: 360
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 28 MB

Page 61

SPREAD OF JAINISM (THE EARLY PHASE)
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to the Purāņas, rose to prominence after the destruction of Hastināpura by the Gangā in c. 1300 BC. During the lifetime of Mahāvīra and Sakyamuni, Kausāmbi was a flourishing metr and the capital of the celebrated Udayana, who did not hesitate to pay homage to Mahāvīra when he visited his city." Jayantī, an aunt of Udayana, became a Jaina nun, according to the Bhagavatī. 18 Another Jaina Anga text, the Vipākaśruta, 19 tells the story of the love affair of Bșhaspatidatta, the priest of Udayana, and Padmăvati, a queen of that famous king.
Among the sākhās originating from Ārya Rohaņa20 (c. 250 BC), a disciple of Suhastin, we have the very significant name, Udumbarikā. This sākhā was certainly connected with the Audambara tribe who lived in Punjab and whose coins, dating from pre-Christian times have been discovered in large numbers there. 21 There is no doubt that by the time this sākhā originated (c. 250 BC),22 Jainism had been firmly established in Punjab. From another disciple of Suhastin, Bhadrayaśas, originated a number of sākhās, apparently in the middle of the third century BC. At least two sākhās originating from him were connected with geographical names, Bhadrīyikā and Kākandikā.29 These two sākhās were apparently connected with the towns of Bhadrikā and Kākandi, mentioned prominently in the Jaina texts. From another disciple of Suhastin, Kämardhi, originated a number of śākhās, among which Śrāvastikā sākhā.24 deserves special mention. As the name indicates, this sākā was connected with the famous city of Srāvasti which had been more than once visited by Mahāvīra. It was in this famous city that persons like Gośāla and Jamāli preached their doctrines, and it was there that the famous encounter between the two great teachers, Mahāvīra and Gośāla, took place. From yet another disciple of Suhastin, Rsigupta, originated a number of śākhās, among which the most significant name is that of Saurāstrika.25 This shows that before the end of the third century BC, Jainism reached Gujarat, and as history testifies, it has maintained its existence there to the present time. Another interesting śākhā connected with a definite geographical name is Madhyamikā,24 which originated from another disciple of Suhastin. The town of Madhyamikā, it is interesting to note, is mentioned in the canonical texts, 27 and the creation of this sākhā before the end of the third century BC, proves that the Jaina religion reached Rajasthan before that time.
This rapid analysis of the names of the sākhās of the Therāvali