Jain Rup Mandan

Author(s): Umakant P Shah
Publisher: Abhinav Publications

Page 17

Jaina-Rupa-Mandana glass-eyes attached to Jina-images in almost all temples still in worship. In the case of Digambara images, the eyes are generally shown half-closed in the original carving, and no glass eyes etc. are attached. This observation regarding eyes applies to images carved after the Gupta period, in what we call the mediaeval period. (2) The Svetambaras assert that there are twelve heavens of different groups of gods (the kalpa heavens), the Digambaras maintain that there are sixteen such types or groups. (3) According to the Svetāmbaras there are sixty-four Indras for various heavens or groups of gods, the other sect speaks of one hundred such Indras. (4) According to the Digambaras, final emancipation is not possible for a woman, while the Svetāmbaras believe that a soul can obtain salvation even when born as a woman. This is perhaps an inevitable corollary to the Digambara insistence on the nudity of monks (as well as of the Tirthankara images) which was regarded as the ideal stage of aparigraha (possessionlessness) which was not practical in the case of nuns. (5) (as a corollary to above) The nineteenth Jina Mallinātha was a male according to the Digambaras but according to the mythology of the Svetambara sect, Malli was a princess who later renounced the world and became a Tirtharra. in earliest Svetambara source for this, so far known, is the canonical text Näyâdhammakahão, which, in its present form, does not seem to be earlier than the third or the fourth century A.D.
The Digambaras do admit a nun's order, but these nuns can reach only upto a certain spiritual stage in the hierarchy of monks and nuns. For attaining the highest stage of Kevalajñāna they have to be reborn as males. (6) All the Svetāmbara monks use at least two garments, one upper and another a lower one. The Digambara monks, barring a few primary stages, remain naked. (7) The Svetāmbaras acknowledge authenticity of the extant Arigas (or Scriptures, part of the Jaina Canonical or Agama literature) and regard them as works of the immediate disciples of Mahavira. The Digambaras think that all the twelve original Anga texts are lost and hence regard, as authoritative, works like Mülācára, Dhavala, Jayadhavala, Mahadhavala, Bhagavati Aradhana, etc., composed by earlier leading monks, since such works are based on original tradition handed down from the ancient line of ācāryas. (8) According to the Svetämbara tradition, the mother of a would-be Tirthankara sees fourteen (different objects in) dreams, while according to the Digambaras she sees sixteen such dreams at the time when the Jina is conceived in her womb. This event is the first auspicious event in the life of a Jina. It is known as the Cyavana Kalyāņaka, auspicious event of the Descent from heaven in the Mother's womb. (9) The lists of eight auspicious objects--the aştamangalas-are slightly different in the traditions of the two sects.
There are several other points of difference which are not quite relevant for students of iconography. However, one must note that these differences have grown gradually. Almost all the hitherto-found Tirthankara images in the standing or the käyotsarga posture, dating before the fifth century A.D., are naked, while images of Tirthankaras in the sitting posture (in the padmasana), dating before the fifth century, do not show the lingam, but since they do not show any mark of drapery on the body we have to presume that the very posture of sitting was such that even though there was no garment, nudity could not be shown.
After the fifth century, we find standing images of Tirthankaras) in the Svetämbara tradition showing a lower garment, though the Svetambara-Digambara differentiation in the case of images in the sitting posture was not explicit. But still later, probably after the seventh century, we find that even in the case of seated figures, markings of garments and their ends, and/or of a girdle (holding the loin-cloth) were clearly done by the Svetambaras while the Digambaras managed to show the lingam even in the case of a Jina sitting in the padmasana or the ardha-padmasana.
Tirthankara images, of both the Jaina sects, are found in two postures only, namely, the standing or the kājotsarga mudra, and the sitting or the padmasana or the ardha-padmasana posture. The ardha. padmasana posture is more popular in South India in the Digambara Jaina worship, where images in the padmasana posture are hardly found.
A Tirthaikara image can be differentiated from a Buddha image by noting the presence or absence of