________________
380
EPIGRAPHIA INDICA.
we learn, much divided at that early period, and this fact speaks in favour of the statement of the tradition which places its origin about the year 250 B.C."
The fourth point, which lends to these new inscriptions a very great importance, is their mentioning several female ascetics, and their showing that these persons developed a very considerable activity. There can be no doubt that Aryya-Sangamika and Aryya-Vasula, who are mentioned in Nos. II and XII, Graha. i. ... (No. V.), Aryya-Kumaramita (No. VII), Balavarma, Nanda and Akaka (?) (No. XI), as well as Aryya-Sama (No. XIV) and Dhamatha(?) (No. XXVI), were nuns. That follows from their title Aryya, 'the venerable,' from their being called fisini or bisini, "female disciples," from their having other female disciples, and from the statement that the gifts were made at, or by their nirvartana, their request or advice. With the certainty thus gained, it is not difficult to recognise that some of the documents found in former years likewise name nuns or point to the existence of female ascetics among the Jainas of Mathura. Though No. XIX is mutilated, the 'sister' of Aryya-Sandhika, AryyaJaya, who appears among the male ascetics, must now be considered a nun. Again, it becomes very probable that the expression chaturvarna samgha," "the community including four classes," which strongly reminds one of the later Svetâmbara term chaturvidha samgha, means, like the latter, the community consisting of monks, nuns, lay-brothers and lay-sisters."
With respect to one of the nuns our inscriptions contain statements which require explanation. The venerable Kumâramitrâ in No. V, who was the female pupil of the venerable Baladina, had, it appears, a son Kumârabhați, whom she induced to dedicate an image of Vardhamâna. It would be a mistake to infer from this admission that the nuns of the first and second centuries led immoral lives. The correct explanation will be that Kumaramitra was a widow who turned nun after the decease of her husband, and that she afterwards acted as spiritual director to her son. It is worthy of note that this is the only case where a nun appears as adviser of a layman. In all the other inscriptions we find that the nuns exhorted female lay members of the Samgba to make donations. It agrees with this that in modern times too, the order of Jaina nuns mostly consists of widows, especially of virgin widows, who, according to the custom of most castes, cannot be remarried, and are got rid of in a convenient manner by being made to take the tonsure; see Ind. Ant., vol. XIII, p. 278.
The last of the new inscriptions, Dr. Führer explains, is on a slab found near the brick stúpa adjoining the two Jaina temples; but he adds that it was lying loose on the pavement of the court, and that it may have belonged originally to some other temple. It records the consecration of a stone slab, stáne, i. e., either "on the site sacred to " or "in the temple of," the divine lord of Nagas, Dadhikarna. The worship of the Nagas or snake-deities is of great antiquity in India. It forms part of the ancient ritual of the Brahmans, who offered and still offer the earpabali" in the rainy season, when the snakes
"See Indian Antiquary, vol. XI, p. 346.
"In further elucidation of the meaning of the term nirvartana, I can now add, that many of the dedications, mentioned in the Palitana inscriptions, are said to have been made upadesát, by the advice, of nonks,
"Sir A. Cunningham's Archaological Survey Reports, vol. XX, plate v, No. 6, 1. 3; Wiener Zeitschrift, vol. I,
p. 172f.
"It is a characteristic Jaina doctrine that the Bravakas and Bravikas form part of the Samgha. On this point the Jainas differ very markedly from the Buddhists.
37 This is prescribed in all the Grikyasútras; see, e. g.. Afvaldyana Gṛi. ú. II, 1 14.
