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Kharavela. This fact thus points to the existence of Jain icons in the first half of the fourth century B.C. The male torso from Lohanipor near Patna, identified as an image of a Jipa, as has been referred to above, is made of stone with distinct polish characteristic of the Asokan monuments ; it is thus placeable in the third century B.C., probably in the reign of Emperor Asoka. The Yakşas, so popularly worshipped especially by the ancient Jains and Buddhists, and subsequently also by the Hindas, are among the earliest semi-divine and and semi-human beings to be sculptured in India. A large number of these Yakšas and Yaksinis, discovered from several sites of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar, are assigaable to the third century before Christ. 3
There seems to be no doubt as to the origin of ibe Buddha image from these ancient anthropomorphic icons of the Jinas and Yakşas. That the images of Buddha and those of Jinas in Padmāsapa, are very close and nearly akin. seems to be obvious. Although there is a very big gap between the icons of Mohenjodaro and Harappa, on the one hapd, and those of the age of the Nandas and the Mauryas,
1. See R.D. Banerji, in Epigraphia Indica, vol. XX, p. 74;
D:C. Sircar, Select Inscriptions, vol. 1, Calcutta, 1942,
p. 206, note 1. 2. R.P. Jayaswal, “Jain Images of the Mauryan Period",
I.B.O.R.S., vol. xxiii, 1937, pp. 130 ff. and plates. 3. See A.K. Coomaraswamy, Yakshas. 2 parts, Washington,
1928-31 ; V.A. Smith, op. cit.; V.S. Agrawala, op. cit. Stella Rramrisch, Indian Sculpture, Calcutta, 1933; John Marshall. The Monuments of Sanchí, 3 vols. Delhi,
1940.
4. See A.K. Coomaraswamy, "INDIAN ORIGIN OF THE
BUDHA IMAGE”, J.A.O.S., vol, 46, 1926 pp. 165 ff ; U.P, Shah, "Yaksha Worship in Early Jain Literature", Journal of Oriental Institute, vol. iii, 1953 ; v.s. Agrawala, 'Pre-Kushana Art of Mathura', J.U.P.H.S., vol, vi. 1933.
