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Some Reflections on Jainism
in Ancient Bengal
S. C. Mukherjee
Jainism had its origin in eastern India, as Mahavira, the last Tirthankara, was born near Vaiśāli and resided in Magadba and Champå during his religious tours. Pārsvanátha, bis immediate predecessor, too, is associated with Champā. One of the most important Jaina centres in India, viz. the Paresbnath hill, hallowed with the memory of the latter, is also situated in eastern India. The north Bengal and the Chotonagpur plateau region were the strongholds of Jainism.
According to the Jaina tradition, Mabavira's itenerary included also Bengal, and it is believed that the great leader traversed many places in Ladha or Radha, Subma or Subbabhūmi and Vajjabhūmi, comprising western parts and south-western parts of Bengal as well as some tracts lying in Bihar and Bengal like Manbhum (Dhanbad and Purulia Dts.), Dhalbhum, Ranchi & Bankura Dts. Places like caraga. sanniveśa, Kajangala, Siddhätthapura and Purimatāl in Bengal may be cited here as examples. The Jaina Āyāranga Sutta says that he (Lord Mabāvira) while travelling through the pathless country of Ladha in Vajjabhūmi and Subbabhumi was not properly received by their inhabitants who spoke an alien tongue. Were the Ladha people non-Aryans ? We have, however, no evidence to show that he (Mahavira) crossed the Bhagirathi and went to north Bengal where Jainism was in a flourishing condition in the 3rd cent. B. C. We have it from Buddhist texts like Divyāvadāna that Nirgranthas (earlier name of the Jaina sect) of Pațaliputra were massacred by Asoka for the guilt of defiling a painting of the Buddha by the former in Pundravardhan. The Nirgranthas are also mentioned in the Asokan edicts. The veracity of the Divyávadana statement, however, cannot be vouchsafed, But it is certain that there were Jainas in the time of Asoka, We know that Ajātaśatru, some of the Nanda kings and Chandragupta Maurya were adherents of Jainism.
Jainism held its sway in Bengal sometime in the 3rd cent. B. C. (if not earlier) probably when the influences of Buddhism were not strongly felt in Bengal It was probably Bhadrabāhu, the religious preceptor of Chandragupta and probably a resident of Koţivarşa or Bāņgadh in Dinajpur Dt. (now in West Bengal), was responsible for the
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