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not mention it, but instead refers to a brick enclosure with a small shed inside containing a number of Jaina sculptures some of which bear inscriptions. The area containing this temple seems to have been covered with debris which was cleared by A.Ghosh, and as a result this ancient temple was exposed. This temple consists of a central chamber facing east, surrounded by a court which again is flanked on all sides by rows of cells. The central chamber and cells are provided with niches in the walls to contain images, which mostly represent the Jaina Tirthankaras. It also contains a few inscriptions which are referred by Chanda." One of the inscriptions on an image of Mahavira is as early as the 5th Century A.D. which would perhaps indicate the earliest date of a shrine at the site. Most of the images are now missing.
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Among the images in the niche facing east in the Central Chamber is a figure seated cross-legged in dhyana-mudra on a throne resting on a female figure lying on her side. The throne contains lions at the extremities and a wheel in the centre. On the halo appear musical instruments played upon by unseen hands. The image to the left is that of Rsabhadeva seated on a pedestal with two bulls and wheel and wearing on the head a jata-mukuta or matted hair. The inscription on the pedestal belongs to the centruy A.D. and reads Acharya-Vasant-Nandin-dedharmoyah, 'The pious gift of the teacher Vasantanandin. 21 There is another mutilated image consisting only of the crossed legs of a figure supported by bulls, the pedestal bearing the inscription deva (ya)-dharmayam Thiroka sya, 'the pious gift of Thiroka'.22
8th
The cell round the central chamber contains some loose sculptures representing Parsvanatha and Mahavira, and in one case, a seated image with a horse on the pedestal (indicating Sambhavanatha) and two elephants on the halo holding a parasol. In one of the cells to the north of the main building is a sculpture depicting a heavenly scene in accordance with Jaina mythology. A male and a female figure are seated on a pedestal in lalitasana, the latter holding a child on her left knee, under a tree on which appears the figure of an Adi-Jina in dhyana-mudra.23 Near the main building is another room with its stairs on the north, containing a few images. One of them represents Neminatha, as is evident from a pair of conch-shells on the pedestal. Thus, the Jaina establishments on the Vaibhara hill are certainly old.
Jain Remains From Rajgir
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