ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 01

Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies

Page 56

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STUDY NOTES version 5.0
राप
Stories abound that king Nandivardhana (424 BC) won the war against Kalinga and took away the idol of its most respected Lord Adinath to his capital, which was later, won and brought by Khārvela. However the feminine of 12.5 years during 365-352 in entire Magadh did havoc to Jainism as a large number of Jain monks went to South with Bhadrabahu while Sthulabhadra and others stayed back in Pataliputra. Sthulabhadra changed some of the Jain ethical practices of monks to face the famine. This period also saw Jainism assuming a pan India presence.
Jainism became very popular in Southern India as well. The fact that Bhadrabahu and over 7000 monks chose to go there also support existence of a number of Jains there. Also history of south is not well documented till later periods even though we find that Jainism being the most favoured and popular religion of that area till now mentioned in literature available.
⚫ Signs of fissure and separation of Jains in two sects belonging to Sthulabhadra in east and Bhadrabahu in the south started. We also see Emperor Asoka patronizing Buddhism more than Jainism even though his grandfather and father were Jains and practiced asceticism in their old age and his grandson Samprati returning to Jain fold.
⚫ Shifting of the Jain center from Pāțaliputra to Ujjaini, Mathura and Vallabhi in east, north and west respectively and Shravanabelgola in south. Emperor Samprati and son of Emperor Aśoka is said to have shifted his capital to Ujjaini affecting this shift of Jainism from Pătaliputra to Ujjaini.
⚫ Starting of the writing of Jain canons as the monks were becoming weaker in their memory at Pațaliputra and later at Mathura but not completed.
Jain kings become weaker and Vedic kings started to gain power. Perhaps division in Jain creed, non-availability of strong religious teachers and infighting in the ruling families are some of the causes for this situation.
III. 300 B.C-200 A.D
This is the period which saw decline of Maurya dynasty and rise of four dynasties namely Khärvela (Jain) in North-East i.e. Kalinga; North-south path-Andhra; North West with Seleucid of Greece as the king and others in Deep South. Khärvela developed Udayagiri and Khandagiri caves near Bhubaneshwar, with Jain inscriptions, temples and place of stay for Jain monks. He defeated most of the attacks by kings from other parts and extended his empire till Mathura and Ujjaini, which became important Jain centers. Jainism was also becoming popular in south due to the presence of a large number of monks there. It is said
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