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JAINA EPIGRAPHS 129
in the neighboring states i.e., Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The inscriptions refer to the term samgha, gana etc., to denote the monastic orders of Jainism. The gana is a division of samgha sometime referred to in the inscriptions as samgha itself. In Tamilnadu, we come across three monastic orders such as Mula samgha, Dravida samgha and Yapaniya samgha in the epigraphs.
Mula samgha
The most predominant monastic order of the Jainas in SouthIndia figures in a few inscriptions of Tamilnadu. An inscription from Adiyamankottai in Dharmapuri district refers to an endowment of land for the construction of a Jaina temple at Mayindiramangalam by certain Jainottama Somanna, a disciple of Madava Chandra Bhattaraka of Mula samgha. He was the son of Udaiyanna Pekkadi of Kasyapa-gotra and grandson of Viprakula, belonging to Tanyam, a chaturvedimangalam in the Sela nadu. This inscription is paleographically dated to 12th century A.D. The teacher mentioned in the inscription was attached with the Mulasamgha."
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Another inscription from Kilaikuilkudi in Kannada language and script mentions the names of Jaina teachers Aryadeva and Balachandra deva, belonging to Mulasamgha. On paleographical grounds, this inscription is also datable to 12th century A.D. These two teachers originally hailed from Sravanabelagola and visited the Madurai area inorder to propagate the Jaina principles. It is also significant to note that this Mulasamgha is frequently mentioned in the inscriptions of Sravanabelagola datable to 14-15th centuries. However, it is believed that this monastic order existed as early as the 8th or 9th century in South India.
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