Jain Stupa and Other Antiquities of Mathura

Author(s): Vincent A Smith
Publisher: Vincent A Smith

Page 45

CHAPTER III.-AYAGAPATAS OR TABLETS OF HOMAGE.
PLATE VII.
ÀYAGAPATA, OR TABLET OF HOMAGE, SET UP BY SIHAN DIKA.
PLATES VII to XIII are devoted to the illustration of the very interesting and beautiful works technically known as dyagapalas.
"An Ayagapnia is an ornamentul lah, bearing the representation of a Jina or of some other object of worship, and the term may be appropriately rendered by 'tablet of homage or of worship since such slabs were put up in temples, is the numerous inscriptions on then nay, 'for the worship of the Arhat '..... Among the Jainas they probably went out of fashion at an early period, as the inscriptions on them invariably show archaic characters, and are + 110 (80 known to me dute."
Bühler was at first under the impression that the use of these highly decorated tablets was contined to the Jains; but Dr. Führer has recorded the discovery of a Buddhist example among the ruins of a Buddhist rihan at Ramnagar in the Bareli district, the site of the ancient Adhichhattrå or Ahichatra. That example is said to exhibit in the centre a fullblown lotus surrounded by four highly ornamented tribúls, and to bear an ancient inscription.?
The examples represented in the plates in this book are all Jain. The central object in Plate VII is the sented figure of a Jina.
The surrounding carving comprises representations of pillars in the Persian Achæmenian style, and it great variety of sacred symbols, which I need not attempt to describe in detail. The forkmanship is very fine.
The central figure has been reproduced as figure a of Plate I in "Epigraphia Indica," Volunie 11. The inscription is in characters of early form; probably anterior to the reign of Kanishka, and hot later than the Christian era (ibid., p. 197).
The text is as follows:1.-1. Namo Arahantinasi Sihakaxs l'únikana putrena Kosikiputroma.
2. Sihanadikena ayagapato pratithapito Arahantar jaye.
- Adoration to the Arbats! A tablet of homage (dyagapata) was set up by Sihunadiku (Sithlanadika! Onandika!), son of the Vinika Sihaka (Sinh haka) and son of a Kosiki (Kausiki mother), for the worship of the Arhats."
The term Vånika is supposed to be the name of the clan of Silaka and his son Sihanadika, who were probably Kshtriyas as indicated by the fact that the donor's mother was a Kausiki.
"Epigraphia Indien." Vol. II, pp. 311, 314. "Epigraphia Itulica," Vol. II, p. 314, Noto 8. The Buddhist dyagapata doca not appear to have been published.
Irofessor Rhys Davids points out to me that the word påjaye would be better translated in honour of "than " for the worship " The Arhats were not in polls. But I turve allowed Müller's translations to stand unaltered.
* No. XXXin "Epigraphix Indies," Vol. II, p. 207.