Spread of Jainism in Ancient India

SR No.: 250320
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Ram Bachan Singh
Publisher: Z_Jain_Vidyalay_Hirak_Jayanti_Granth_012029.pdf
Publication Year: 1994
Total Pages: 1
Language: English
Classification: Article & History
File Size: 870 KB

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of pilgrimage. Epigraph from Rajorgarh (Alwar distt.) with the date V.S. 979 or 925 A.D., discloses the existence of a temple dedicated to Shantinath. G.H. Ojha, in his monumental work on the history of Rajaputana (vol. || P.428), has refered a large number of Jaina inscription found in different old Jaina temples of Rajasthan. Vividha-tirtha-kalpa of Jinaprabha also mentioned the flourishing state of Jainism in Rajasthan. Century A.D., the King Pandukabhaya constructed houses and temples for the Nirgrantha ascetics at Anuradhapur (Shreelanka). This king was placed in the 4th Century B.C. It proves the presence of Jaina ascetics in Shree Lanka as early as fourth Century B.C. It appears that these Jajnas migrated to Shree Lanka from Tamil speaking areas of South India. The Digambara Jains of 2nd Century A.D. from North India popularised Jainism in Karnataka (Chatterjee'78). Western India :- It may be noted that Jainism succeeded in penetrating into the extreme North West and Western India at a quite early date. According to Bhagavati Mahabira visited sindhu-sauvira. There are definite evidences to show that even in pre-Christian era Jainism became quite popular in Western India. The Silappadikaram, the most important sangam work from the point of view of Jainism and one of the two Tamil Epics, gives a very valuable account of Jainism in the three Dravidian States of Cola, Pandya and Cera. This work tells us that there were Jain Shrines in the capital of all these three kingdoms. At kaveripattan, the ancient city of Colas, there was a temple of Nirgrantha (Dikshitar, P-152). Takshasila or Taxila one of the greatest city of ancient was associated with jainism from early days. The jain literary traditions associate Taxila with Bahubali, a son of Rasabha. The present Madura District of Tamilnadu was the most important strong hold of Jainism. Maduraikkanchi, a sangam text of great antiquity, gives a beautiful and graphic description of the big Nirgrantha temple of Madura. This Jain temple of Madura city was built at a very high cost. There is an exhaustive list of Jaina sites in Madura district which are mostly on hills. Simhapura (mod. Ketas in the salt range, Punjab, Pakistan) was another Jain centre from early times. According to canonical texts it was the birth place of Sreyansa, the eleventh Tirthankara. It was visited by Yuan Chowang, who saw swetambara Jains there. The ancient town of Kapisi (mod. Opian in Afghanistan) had a Jain population. It shows that Jainism penetrated this sizeable part of North Western India (original Indian sub-continent included the whole of Afghanistan) in early centuries of Christian era. In the district of Tinnevelly, there was an extremely important strong hold of the Jaina religion in a place called 'Kalugamalai' (Desai, p-77). Among the other noted Jaina sites may be mentioned as Patalipura (south Arcot), Colavandipuram (S. Arcot). Panchapandavamalai (N. Arcot). There is a reference of 'Vardhansvara Tirth', a sacred Jain place near Kanchi, named after the last Jain Tirthankara, may be identified with the celebrated Jina-Kanchi. According to the Jains the twenty second Tirthankara Neminath Aristnemi was born in western India. Jainism was also popular in Kerala. There is reference of Nirgrantha temple in Vanji, which has been identified with a place near Cochin and it was like Madura and Kaveri-Pathanam a very ancient city. South India :- Regarding the spread of Jainism in different parts of South India, it may be noted that wandering Nirgrantha monks of Bengal and Orissa carried the message of Mahabira to South India specially to the land adjoining the Bay of Bengal within a few decades of the demise of Lord Mahabira. Evidences of Pali texts indicates that Jainism reached the land of Tamils before the end of 4th century B.C. We notice two famous places now included in Karnataka associated with Jainism from early times. One is Sravanbelgola (64 km. north of Mysore city) in Hasan District. It is one of the holiest places of Pilgrimage in south India. Attributed by some to a date as early as 309 B.C., a community of Fugitive Jain settled here, where their leader Bhadrabahu becomes myrtyred Saint by Starving himself to death. According to Buddhist Mahavamsa, a work of 5th हीरक जयन्ती स्मारिका अध्यापक खण्ड / 32