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JANUARY, 1978
ancestor Nirgrantha Sangha (or gåccha, as it is called) earker than the others, for the archaeological evidences of the parent-Sanghas of the monastic orders like Kotikagana79, etc. have been found at Mathura and in South India in archaeological deposits80.
109
Jaina Sangha which comes closest to being the common anscestor of the three groups of modern Sangha, via Lonkagaccha, Sthanakavasin and Terapanthin on the Svetambararside, is Tapagacchas of Western region of India with monastic characteristic found to day only in these three groups.
To be continued
89 See Early Mathura Inscriptions.
80e.g. the existence of Mathura Sangha of the Digambaras in South India suggests its relation with Mathura in North India.
81 See Papagaccha Parlavali; Vide Pattavalt Samnccaya pt. 1. Pattavali Paraga Samgraka by Muni Kalyanavijayaj.:
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