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@急 卐
History of Jainism with Special Reference to Mathura
begin before the fifth century BC. It is, thus, evident that the Jaina stupa at Kankali Tīlā, Mathura would not have been built of burnt bricks in the eighth century BC as presumed by U.P. Shah, or in the seventh century BC as presumed by V.A. Smith. The stupa at Piparava is a product of solid masonry.129 The same is true of the stūpas at Rajgir and Kushinagar. With the exception of these three stūpas, 'no kiln-burnt bricks have been found in northern India which belong to a period earlier than the fourth century BC'. 130 Even the bricks used in the construction of the buildings of Aśoka in the third century BC are unwieldly in size, and their inferior quality is indicative of lack of experience in brick making.131 In fact, the origin of the Jaina brick-stūpa at Kankali Tīlā could not have been different in nature or date from the Buddhist stūpas. 132 The components and representation of stūpas found from Kankālī Ṭīlā do not reveal any characteristic that is not known in contemporary Buddhist stūpas.133 Structurally, the toranas of the Mathurā stūpas did not differ from those of the Buddhist stūpas of Sanchi and Bharhut. 134 In other words, the Jaina stupa at Kankali Tīlā was almost similar to the Buddhist stūpas of Sanchi and Bharhut in respect of style and ornamentation. It is, thus, evident that the Jaina brickstūpa of Mathura would not have been built earlier than the stupa of Bharhut 'which was built in the third century BC'135 or the stupa of Sanchi 'which was originally built in the third century BC'. 136 In fact, the appellation devanirmita used for the Jaina brick-stūpa should not lead us very far into antiquity; it is
129. JS, p. 10; IGI, II, p. 102.
130.
CHI, I, p. 617.
131. Ibid.
132. JAA, I. Editorial, pp. 6-7.
133.
Ibid.
134.
135.
136.
ASIAR, 1906-7, p. 147.
A. Cunningham, The Stupa of Bharhut, 1962, p. 14. Some scholars hold that the stupa of Bharhut was built in the second century BC.
John Marshall, A Guide to Sanchi, 1918, p. 31. Some scholars hold that the stupa of Sanchi was built in the first century BC
