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Jaina Iconography
to the 4th century B.C. Image is referred to in a passage in the Antagada Dasão thus, "there dwelt in those days....a gentleman named Nage in the city of Bhaddila pure, rich.... This gentleman Nagc had a wise named Sulasă. Of the lady Sulasă it was prophesied in her childhood ly a soothsayer that she should bear dead babes. Now Sulasă was from childhood a worshipper of the God Harinegamesi. She caused to be made an image of Harinegameși and cvery morning she bathed..... Other references to images in Jaina Literature are : worship of prophets as gods by Jainas and Buddhas, cach Tirihaukara has his Vimana, temples and statues created to their prophets by Buddhists and Jainas.' Concrete archaeological finds have been discovered at Mathura, which prove beyond all doubts that temples of images were made as carly as 600 B.C. We have images of Aryavati, dated in the 42nd year of the Sarrap Sodāsa, and “Ayāgapața” with an inscription of which the character is in form anterior to the alphabet used by the Kushan Kings and may be consideratcly earlier than the Christian era." The Mathura inscriptions dealt with by Dr. Fuhrer show that there are dedicatious and offerings of a very ancient date made to Rsabhanātha. Lastly, we may mention the stūpas erected in honour of the 7th Jina Supār vanātha, built about the 7th century B.C. Let me quote the late Mr. V.A. Smith, the most scrupulous historian on the point : "Assuming the ordinarily l'eccived date B.C. 527 for the death of Mahīvira to be correct, thcattaiment of perfection by that saint may be placed about B.C. 550. The restoration of the stūpa may be dated about 1300 years later or A.D. 750. Its original erection in brick in the time of Pār
1. The Antagada-Dasão (Oriental Tran. Fund), p. 67. Further references
to images - (a) “There he had a temple of thc Jina made and image of the holy Lord Sānti set up in it" Kathākośa, Royal Asiatic Society's publication p. 210. (b). "Then the prince saw that Caitra, and an image of the cminent Rşabha". Ibid, p. 100. (c) "On the top of this mountain, there is......an image of the lord Nemi made out of a
sapphire, Ibid p. 75. 2. Vide Jaina Sūtras (S.B.E.) 22.xxi. 3. Ibid. pp. 190, 218, 19.5. 276. 4. 2. xxi. 5. Pl. xiv. The Jaina Stūpa and other antiguities by V. A. Smith. 6. Ibid, Pl. xii.
