Jaina Stupa At Mathura Art And Icons

Author(s): Renuka J Porwal
Publisher: Prachya Vidyapith

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The Jaina Stupa at Mathura: Art & Icons
while describing the Nandīsvara-dvīpa39. In the Bhagavatī-sūtra, there is a reference to 'Arihanta-ceiyaņi' and the Sūtra Upāsaka-daśānga also mentions an “Arahanta-ceyāim' while Uñātā-dharma-kathā refers to the stūpa as a 'thūbhiā'/stūpikā40. In Samvayānga and Jambūdvīpaprajñapti, the word 'thūpa' is used as a 'Ceiya-khambha' which later on came to be known as Mānastambha41. The practice of erecting Mānstambha is still continued with the Digambara tradition. Avaśyakaniryukti refers to the erection of stūpa/thūbha at Aștāpada- the Nirvana place of Rşabhadeva by his son Bharat Cakravartī. Āvaśyaka-cūrņi talks about Munisuvratsvāmi's stūpa at Vaiśālī while illustrating the story of 'Pariņāmic Buddhi'. These both Jaina stūpas are now extinct. The reference of Mathurā's stūpa is first available in Malayagiri-tikā42 of Vyavahāra-cūrni and Vyavahāra-sūtra. Afterwards in the scriptures of both traditions viz. Brahat-kalpa-bhāșya, Yaśastilaka-campū, Vividhatīrtha-kalpa etc. the stories about Jaina stūpa at Mathurā are available with plenty of details. Jinaprabhasūri referred to Acārya Bappabhattasūri's visit to Mathurā in Vividha-tīrtha-kalpa, accordingly Ācārya had established Mahāvīra's image in Vikram Samvata 826 i.e. 769 A.D. At that time he had advised King Ama to repair the stūpa43. The king restored it and even prepared a kupa or kunda near the stūpa. Sūriji also talked about twelve Vanas around the city, one of which was Bhandīra - the shrine of Sudarśana Yakşa. As per the kalpa, Bappabhattasūri adored Rşabha at Śatruñjaya, Nemi at Giranāra, Munisuvrata at Bharuch, Vira at Mondherā, Supārsva at Mathurā and was taking his Gocari/food at Gowalgiri (Gwalior). This information suggests the power possessed by Acārya for flying to various Tīrthas for adoration. The Āyāgapața of Loņaśobhikā (fig. 41) of early Kuşāņa era has a carving of two Jaina monks, adoring the stūpa from the sky. One of the pedestal of Munisuvrata (J 20 LM., fig. 24) obtained from the stūpa has an inscription that the same was
39 See the fn. 14 in chapter of this book 'The Tradition of Stūpa in Jainism' 40 Jain S., Jain Vidyā ke Ayam - Hindi (Banaras, Pārsvanātha Sodha Sanasthān, 1998) pp.
716. 41 Ibid 42 See the fn. 34 in chapter of this book The Tradition of Stūpa. in Jainism..' 43 I) Jinaprabhasuri, Vividha-tirtha-kalpa, 9th ch., Mathurapuri-kalpa, edit. Muni Jinvijayaji
(Calcutta- Bombay, Simghi Granthamala-10, 1934), pp. 19. II) Smith V., op. cit., 1900, pp.13.