Jain Journal 1994 07

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

Page 15

OHIRA : THE 24 BUDDHAS AND THE 24 TIRTHANKARAS
prabha (or Saši), 9) Suvidhi (or Puspadanta), 10) Sitala, 11) Śreyamsa, 12) Vasupujya, 13) Vimala, 14) Ananta, 15) Dharma, 16) Śānti, 17) Kunthu, 18) Ara, 19) Malli, 20) Munisuvrata, 21) Nami, 22) Aristanemi (or Nemi), 23) Pārsva, and 24) Mahāvira.
Now, let us see how the tirthařkara images make their appearance in the canonical period in the archaeological sources. The earliest tirthařkara image belonging to the Maurya age is discovered from Lohanipur (Patna). 12 Also a tirthankara image datable after the 1st century B.C. is found from the same place. 13 As is well-known, the Hāthigumphā inscription touches upon "Kalinga jina" of Khāravela. 14 A bronze image of Pārsva now preserved at the Prince of Wales Museum at Bombay is said datable earlier than 100 B.C. by one scholar, but at the 2nd century A.D. by the other. 15
It is suspected that a Jain temple was existent in the middle of the 2nd century B.C. at Mathurā. 16 And tirthankara images count most numerous among the Jaina sculptures found at Mathurā.17 Mathurā inscriptions usually read that so and so donates an arhat's image without indicating the arhat's name. Only some of the names of tirthařkaras are known to us, either because their names are inscribed on the images, or because from certain peculiarities ascribed to some tirthankaras. The latter is found in the case of Rsabha whose locks of hair fall on his shoulders, and in the case of Pārsva who has a canopoy of snake-hoods on his head. 18 The following is the information about the tirthařkara images whose names are identified. Pārsva is the first tirthankara identifiable among the images of jinas engraved on the Ayāga-patas, which belong to the period earlier than King Kaniska.19 Tirthařkara images are found most numerous during the period between King Kaniska and King Vāsudeva at Mathurā, among which identified at least are the following 7 tirthankaras, i.e., Rsabha, Sambhava, Säntinātha, Munisuvrata, Aristanemi, Pārsva and Mahāvira.20 A class of the
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12. A. Ghosh, ed.: Jaina Art and Architecture, v.1, pp.26, 71 13. A. Ghosh, ed.: Ibid., p.71 14. A. Ghosh, ed.: Ibid., p.74 15. A. Ghosh, ed.: Ibid., pp. 87-88 16. A. Ghosh, ed.: Ibid., p.51 17. A. Ghosh, ed.: Ibid., p.37 18. A. Ghosh, ed.: Ibid., p.65 19. A. Ghosh, ed.: Ibid., p.65 20. A. Ghosh, ed.: Ibid., p. 66, n. 1