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The Jaina Stupa at Mathura: Art & Icons
In Jainism two Ardhamāgadhi Āgamas are considered to be ancienti) The first Śrutaskandha of Ācārānga-sūtra. ii) Rșibhasita. The sutra form of Ācārānga as well as its mode of language is more like Upanisad. In the view of Dr. Jain Sagarmal“The scripture Rsibhāsita has no sectarian thought, moreover it carries liberal view points proves its antiquity older than Suttanipata i.e. 4th to 5th century B.C., even life sketch of Mahāvīra is without any exaggeration and hyperbole. The first Śrutaskandha of Ācārānga-sūtra and Rşibhasita are older than Ashok's Prakrit inscriptions78 The scripture Rşibhāşita refers 45 Rșis like Narada, Parasara, Yajñavalkalya, Mahākasyapa, Mankhali Gośalaka with their spriritual belief and sermons without any sectarian thought. The other sūtra Sūtrakritānga refers to the differnt philosophical schools prior to 4th to 3rd century B.C. The Sthānanga sūtra is fashioned like Anguttara Nikāya of Buddhism. Such scriptural form is also considered to be ancient except the historical reference of seven Ninhavas which were added considering its importance during Vallabhi's last council. The scriptures Candra-prajñnapti, Surya-prajñapti and Jambūudvīpa prajñapti have detailed discussion about astronomy as in Vedānga establishing their antiquity. Jinabhadra had rewritten the Mahāniśitha-sūtra damaged by termites at Mathurā as per Vividha tīrtha kalpa of Jinapraprabhasūri of 14th century after visiting various sacred religious places. This reference even concludes that at the time of Māthuri Vācanā, some scriptures were written and stored at Deva Nirmita Stūpa which was read and rearranged by Jinabhadra Kşamāśramaņa. His period is discussed by Shah U. P. as per the installation of some of the Akota bronzes by him. Accordingly the period of first Jinabhadra was between c.500-550 A.D. and the second between c. 550-600 A.D.79 At Mathurā the image of Sarasvati holding a manuscript was established in Kuşāņa period also strengthens the antiquity of writing of śruta in Jainism.
78 Jain S., “Ardhamagadhi āgama sahitya ek vimarsha," in Jaina Vidya ke Ayama part-6, 1998. 79 Shah U.P., Studies in Jaina art, pp. 19 and fn. 2.
