Jain Journal 2005 10

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

Page 30

CHITTARVINPALINNISMINDENCIAL
by tolerant Pāla Kings, the Nirgranthas (Jainas) improved their positions in their traditional strongholds. The numerious Jaina sculptures (belonging to the Pala period of the 10th century) explored in North Bengal had not shown any signs of decay, rather the sculptures of this period had exhibited the signs of exuberance of youth and "lively idiom, rich in concentrated animation".
Is it this effloresence of the Jaina art, consequent upon the growth the Jaina organisation in the tenth century that prompted Harişena to compose the fine biography of Bhadrabāhu, the 6th Jaina patriarch?
II Jainism in Bengal during the eleventh century A.D.
Advayavajra is one of the celebrated authors of Vajrayāna Buddhism. He is also known as Avadhūtī-pā. In Tibetan Tangyur many other epithets are given him, such as, Pandita, Mahā Pandita, Brāhmaņa, Ācārya, Mahācārya, Avadhūta, Upādhyāya, Bāngālee etc.
"Advayavajra has about twentytwo (22) works translated in the Bstan-hgyur, but some of these works are also available in Sanskrit. Twentytwo (22) small Vajrayānist tracts of his are edited by H.P. Sastri in the Advayavajra Samgraha."-3
In the above mentioned samgraha, there is a very small tract or treatise of only twenty (20) ślokas named māyānirukti. The colophon is silent about its author, but the Tibetan translation attributes its authorship to Advayavajra and translation to Upādhyāya Vajrapāņi.
Though Advayavajra is a famous and celebrated Vajrayānist author, his date is difficult to ascertain and this difficulty has been made more complicated by the supposition of the existence of more than one Advayavajra.”+
Without entering into the controversy whether there was one or
23. 24.
R.C. Mazumder, History of Bengal, p. 406, f.n 158. Ibid.