Book Title: Jaina Archaeology Outside India
Author(s): Jineshwardas Jain
Publisher: Bharat Varshiya Digambar Jain Mahasabha

View full book text
Previous | Next

Page 19
________________ +8400000 Yojanas in one direction. It is the 8th island where 52 temples towers exist. If we assume 1 ft = equal to 700 yojanas ( this figure has been calcuated and suggested by Mr. Peter. T White [1] then the length of Java island in one direction comes to about 750 kms which matches well with the present length of Java Island. Here I would like to solve the anomnaly of 52 towers and 72 domes as is mentioned innthe literature with the fillowing explanation; The Borobudur temple had become synonyme with the nandishwar dveepa and consists of 72 domes whereas 52 towerd temples exist at Angkor Thom in Cambodia. Shri Dhyanatraiji has mixed up these two places in his pooja. It has already been explained elsewhere that when the Shailendras had to flee from Java they came to Camobodia and erected the famous temples of Angkorvat and Angkorthom. Another question arises as to why Shailendras spent huge sums of money to build the Borobudur temple at this place. My view is that the first Samavasaran of Lord Mahavira was established here. This place got further importance because Lord Mahavira remained silent for 65 days due to the absence of a proper person who could interpret his Numerical (Non-alphebatical) speech. Physically Borobudur is a two step pyramid symbolizing the ten stages of Jaina's das lakshana dharma. There are indeed ten levels in all. See Fig. 1, An aerial view, Ref ). The square base of the temple itself is 50 feet high which can be described as Kamdhatu one of the world passion. The walls of the square terraces are embellished by beautiful executed carvings depicting the life story, the renunciations and the final quest for the truth. There 510 human sized statutes (Fig. 2) and about 1484 (12" X 8" sized stone slabs)stone carvings (Fig. 3). In this Fig.3 is shown the 16 dreams of the holy mother of Tirthankara. Then the ascending terraces of diminishing sizes come collectively called as Rupadhatu which are then surmounted by three circular and concentric terraces (Fig. 4), forming the arupadhatu, the level where one leads a better life and is freed from earthly bonds. These three circles consist of 72 small stupas which contain one human size statue each totaling 72 Jinas ( this number matches well with 24 Tirthankara chaubisis of present, past and future periods. Note: There is a special fascination in the number -twenty four- (Ref.1.Rishabha Deva the founder of Jainism by Champar Rai Jain, Pub; The Indian Press Ltd. 1929). The Hindus have 24 Avataras (incarnations) of their favourite God, Lord Vishnu, there were 24 Counsellor Gods of the ancient Babilonians, 19

Loading...

Page Navigation
1 ... 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105