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The Early Epigraphic Records of Mathurā
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Before coming to any conclusion it is necessary to observe some copper plates referring Mūla sangha viz. i) 2 inscriptions of Nonamangala ii) Devagiri and iii) Halsi in southern India. On the two copper plates of Noņamangala (c.370 and 425 A.D.) in southern India we find the names "Mūlasanghānusthitāya' and “Mūlasanghenānuşthitāya' respectively but without mentioning any traditions like Nirgantha or Kurcaka or Yāpaniya or Svetapata suggesting that at that time their separation had not taken place. The donation record of Devagiri advocates that income of the village was divided into three parts - first part was for Bhagavad-mahājinendradevatā (shrine), second for Svetapata-mahasramana-sangha and third for Nirgratha-mahāśramaņa-sangha. The Halsi donation record refers the names of Yāpaniya, Nirgrantha and Kurccaka. From inscription of Nonamangala we got the reference of existence of Mulasangha in early fourth century prior to presence of other Jaina sects. In the view of Dr. Jain, “Nirgratha-mahāśramanasangha might be suggesting the migrated Acela śramana tradition of Bhadrabahu-I, from Bihara-Orissa to Tamilnadu and Srilanka in 3rd B.C. At that time in North India the sangha was known as Nirgrantha without any gana and shakha of preceptors. At that time there was no division, hence no one called self as a Mūlasangha. After fifth century, from Halsi and Devagiri inscriptions, a separate Nirgrantha Sangha was recognised. The Acela tradition from North when reached south it called self as a Mūlagaņa/Mūlasangha. Afterwards the same introduced as 'Sri vraksamula gaña' 'Punnagavşakşamūlagana’ ‘Kanakopala-sambhuta-vşakşamula-gaņa’ etc. however the word Mülagaña was retained and adopted the name Mūlasangha. Thus when Nirgrantha tradition reached south they called themselves as a Mūla Sangha, wherein after 100 years they adopted the name Yāpaniya and excluded Mūla. Again the Mūlasangha appeared after 450 years on Konnura copper plate, and the same copied in stone in 12th century A.D10." Thus migrated Acelakas, later on called Yāpaniya who supports acelakatva and their scriptures continued the name 'Mūla' like Mūlacāra, Mūlārādhanā, etc.
10 Dr. Jain S., "Svetāmbar Mūla Sangha evam Māthura Sangha-ek Vimarsha”, Jain Vidyā
ke Ayāma, v 6 (1998), pp. 633.
