Development And Impact Of Jainism In India And Abroad

Author(s): Gunvant Barvalia
Publisher: Arham Spiritual Center

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Development and Impact of Jainism in Asia and Asian Dwipa
Dr. Bhagchandra Jain Prof. Emeritus madras university, Nagpur university
It is general impression that Jainism could not cross its original country, the mother land India as nothing much is found the archaeological and historical matter. Only a few remains and literary evidence are fortunately with us. It is very difficult to reply as to why this event is occurred. However, we are in position to suppose that Jainism crossed the country and spread over Asia and Asian Dwipa to a great extent in ancient days. Its concept of Ahimsa and total detachment left the profound impact on their cultural aspects. South East Asia (Burma, Thailand, Combodia etc.), Far East Asia (China, Japan, and Korea), and Central Asia (Kashmira, Afganistan, Turkistan, Iran, Iraq, Tibbet, Mangolia, Soviet Union etc.) are important regions where Indian cultural heritage is found in general and Jainism in particular. Though Jainism lost its physical existence in these countries duen to several causes, the remains, traditions and literary references compel us to believe the historical facts that Jainism was very much popular in these countries.
The aim and object of this article is just to indicate the development and impact of Jainism in Asia and Indian Ocean through Jain and non-Jain literature and traditions. It is divided into two parts. The first part is Central Asia and the second one is South East Asia and Indian Ocean.
1. DEVELOPMENT AND IMPACT OF JAINISM IN CENTRAL ASIA.
Let us start with Kashmira. According to the Kalhana's Rajatarangini, Kashmir was established by Satyapratijna Samrat Ashok who was originally a Jain monarch following Jiashasana. He also constructed there a number of Jain Chaityas and Stupas and a huge Jain temple called Ashokeshvara :
Yah shantavrjino raja prapanno jinashasanam.
Shushkanetravitastatrau tastarastupamandalaih. 1.102
Dharmaranyaviharantarvitastatra pure 'bhavad.
Yatkratam chaityamutsedhavadhipraptyakshamekshanam. 1.103 Gariyasim purim shrimanshcakram Shrinagarim nrapah. 1.104
It is to be mentioned that the consecutive history of Kashmira is not practically available at present. But the literary evidence reveals the fact that king Lalitaditya and his Jain minister. Candakunda erected a huge Jain temple in Tukhar as mentioned in the 4th Taranga of the Rajatarangini. Ratnashekharasuri in his Shraddhavidhiprakarana supported the same by stating that the Kashmir kings visited the Vimaladri Shatrunjayatirtha and paid homage to Jain idols. The Ayane-Akabari also quoptes the said event.
Gandhara, Kamboj and Afaganistan were parts of Kashmir in those days. We are
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