________________
Jain Religious Orders in the
Kushana Period
- Baij Nath Puri
The importance of Mathurā as a great Jain centre is revealed by a number of Brāhmi epigraphic records belonging to the Kushāņa period. A number of Jain religious orders were flourishing side by side without creating any spirit of antagonism. These schools popularly known as gañas were divided on the lines of teachers who were known through their respective 'kulas'. The teachers grouped into a 'kula' were branched off into śākhās or branches. Sākhās were the lines which branched off from each teacher. Besides these there were Sambhogas or division. To put the whole framework of religious orders in a nutshell,' firstly there were ganas or different schools of thought. Among these schools, sets of teachers formed kulas or family and each teacher was then branched off into his sākhā. Before going into a detailed study of these Jain religious orders it is better to take note of some of the very important Brāhmi Jain records which throw light on the subject
Inscription No. 12 from Mathurā records the dedication of an image of Vadahamāna (Vardhamāna) by khudā (kshudrā) who belonged to the Kottiva gana, the Bahamadāsika kula and the Uchenāgarī sākhā. The inscription is dated in the year 5 of Devaputra Kanishka.
Another inscription' incised on the pedestal of a fourfold image (chaturmukhi) consisting of four naked standing, jinas records the dedication at the request of venerable Mātridina (Mātridatta) by the first wife of one Suchila who belonged to the
Tot
4511
- farope, 2004 -
-
101
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
