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History of Jainism with Special Reference to Mathurā
foundations.93 From available evidence it appears that there was a Jaina establishment at Kankāli Tilā; it grew up around this stūpa, which was an object of supreme veneration for the Jainas.94
Jaina traditions are not unanimous regarding the origin of the stūpa at Mathurā. There are two principal accounts dealing with its origin. One of them is embodied in Somadeva's Yaśastilakacampū, 'a Jaina romance composed in AD 959',95 and the other in Jinaprabha Sūri's Vividha-Tīrtha-Kalpa, 'a fourtheenth-century work made known by Buhler?.98 According to Jinaprabha Sūri, a golden stūpa adorned with precious stones was erected at Mathurā in honour of Supārsvanātha, the seventh tīrthamkara, by goddess Kuberā at the desire of two ascetics named Dharmaruci and Dharmaghoșa.97 In the time of Pārsvanātha, the twenty-third tirthamkara, the golden stūpa was encased in bricks as a safeguard against pillage, and a stone sculpture of this jina was installed outside it. 98 Thirteen hundred years after Mahāvīra's perfection,99 i.e., in the eighth century AD,100 it was restored by Bappabhatti Sūri in honour of Pārsvanātha 101
But Somadeva, who lived about four hundred years earlier than Jinaprabha Sūri, has given a different account. According to him, this stūpa was built by saint Vajrakumāra during the reign of Pūtikvāhana, and in his work Yaśastilakacampū there is no mention that it was ever built of gold. 102 The accounts left behind by Somadeva and Jinaprabha Sūri convey the impression that only one Jaina stūpa was built at Mathurā. But as per Digambara texts
93. MI, p. 41. 94. JAA, I, p. 53. 95. Yaśastilaka, Preface, vii. 96. Ibid., p. 432; JS, p. 13. 97. Vividha-Tīrtha-Kalpa, Mathurāpurī Kalpa, pp. 17 ff; JS, p. 13; Yassatilaka, p. 432. 98. Ibid., pp. 17 ff; JS, p. 13; SIJA, pp. 62-3.
99. Ibid., pp. 17 ff; JS, p. 13. 100. JS, p. 13; Yašastilaka, p. 432. 101. Ibid.; Ibid. 102. Yaśastilaka, pp. 432-3.
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