Jain Journal 1985 10

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 6

JAIN JOURNAL
of saying that all the ancient Jaina monuments of unknown origin are ascribed by the people to Samprati, who in fact is regarded as a Jaina Asoka.11 For the propagation of Jainism, he got constructed one and a quarter crore Jaina temples, two thousand rest houses and eleven thousand vāpikās and puccă wells.12 Jinadasagani Mahattara informs us that he constructed Jaina monasteries even in non-Aryan countries like Amida, Damila and Maharatta13 and the credit of spreading Jainism even to Persia, Arabia and Ceylon goes to him."
It is to be noted that all the Jaina monuments of Rajasthan and Gujarat, whose builder is not known, is attributed to Samprati. Many scholars are of the opinion that several inscriptions which have till now been ascribed to Asoka, were inscribed by Samprati. The reason is that Asoka, took for himself the title 'Devanampiya' only and it was Samprati, who used 'Devanampiya Piyadasi' for himself and never gave his real name.15 He erected stūpas and temples at the birthplace of Sambhavanatha which was later on destroyed by Alauddin Khalji.16 Some Jaina monuments of the period of Samprati have been located at Varanasi and Allahabad also.17 The king is said to have constructed a Jaina stambha inside the palace at Kausambi, the birthplace of Padmaprabha.18
The Saranath tomb near Varanasi is ascribed to Samprati19 and several reasons have been given in its support by scholars. It was perhaps constructed in the memory of the eleventh Tirthankara Sreyansanatha, 20 who was born at this place. 21 On the tomb, statues of lions, ox and horse have been engraved which represent the three gems of Jaina principles i.e., Samyak darśana, Samyak jñāna and Samyak cāritra.22 A wheel (dharma cakra) is also engraved on the tomb which is very much similar
11 Early History of India, p. 202. 1B. C. Jain, 'Bihar-ki Jain Vibhutian' in the Chandabai Abhinandan Granth, p. 691 ;
Jain Siddhanta Bhaskar, Vol. XVI, pt. II, p. 117. 18 Nisithavasya Curni, Vol. IV, pp. 128 ff. 14 B. Jain, Bharat-ke Digambar Jain Tirth, pt. 1, p. 9. 15 Ibid.
16
Ibid.
17 Ibid., pp. 60 and 132. 18 Ibid., p. 146. 19 Jain Siddhanta Bhaskar, Vol. XVII, pt. I,p. 59;B.Jain, Bharat-ke Digambar Jain
Tirth, pp. 130-132. 20 The name of this place 'Saranath' seems to be a distortion of 'Sreyansanatha'. 31 B. Jain, op. cit. 22 Jain Siddhanta Bhaskar, Vol. XVII, pt. I, p. 59.