Jaina Stupa At Mathura Art And Icons

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

Page 49

The Jaina Stupa at Mathura: Art & Icons
He had visited caityas such as Udena, Gotama, Sattambaka, etc. 12 According to the inscription of Khāravela (fig. 38) at Hāthīgumphā (Udayagiri-Khandagiri), image worship was in vogue since the Nanda times. It also mentions the repairing of Kāyanisidhi (stūpa)13, a place of adoration at Kumārī (Khandagiri) hill. Thus caitya worship can be traced back earlier to Nanda period. Later on, stūpas or caityas were erected on the bones or ashes of great men. These also led to the construction of caityas and stūpas for adoration in the form of shrines when the art of image making came into existence.
2.2
The Concept of Caitya and Stüpa in Jaina Literature The word thūbha/stūpa does not occur independently in Ācārānga-sūtra (c: 2nd to 3rd B.C.) but in union with 'Kadam', i.e. “Thūbham-vāCeiyakadam' and 'Rukkham-va-Ceiyakadam'. The earliest reference of stūpa and stūpa-maha is available in the 3rd and 4th adhyayanas of the second Śrutaskandha (Āyāracūlā) in Ācārānga-sūtral4 in combination with 'caiya/caitya' i.e. caitya-krta-stūpa. The same sūtrals refers to the festivals in honour of 'Ceiya/Caiya-mahesu' along with those of Indra, Rudra, Mukunda, Bhāta, Yaksa, Naga, Stupa, Agada, Vrksa, tank, river, ocean etc. and prohibits Jaina monks from accepting food at such festivals16.
12 Shah U. P., Studies in Jaina.., 1955, pp. 48. 13 12th and 15th lines of Kharvela's inscription:
(१२)........ मगधानं च विपुलं भयं जनेतो हथिसु गंगाय पाययति(I) मागधं च राजानं वहसतिमितं पादे वंदापति(I) नंदाराजनीतं च कालिंग - जिन-संनिवेसं......... गहरतनान पडिहारेहि अंगमागध-वसुं च नेयाति (I) (१५)........ (ता) सु कतं समण-सुविहितानं (मुं?) च सातदिसानं (मुं?) ञातानं तपसइसिनं सधायनं (D?) (3) अरहतनिसीदिया समीपे पभारे वराकर-समुथापिताहि अनेक- योजना-हिताहि........ सिलाहि
सिंहपथ-राजिये घुसिय निसयानि 14 (a) से भिक्खू वा भिक्खुणी वा गामाणुगाम दुइज्जमाण............. रुक्खं वा चेइयकड', थूभं वा चेइय
कडं....... णो........ णिज्झाएज्जा ।। Acāraiga-sutra (2nd Sruta-skandha - Ayarcula),
3/47. (b) से भिक्खू वा भिक्खणी वा जहा वेगइयाई रुवाई....... रुक्खं वा चेइय-कडं......... णो....... सुकडे ति वा, सुठुकडे ति वा, साहुकडे ति वा, कल्लाणे ति वा।
Ibid. 4/21 (c) से भिक्खू वा भिक्खुणी वा............ थूभ-महेसु वा, चेतिय-महेसु वा.......... तहप्पगारं असणं व पाणं वा.......... णो पडिगाहज्जा ।
Ibid. 1/24 15 I) Acāraiga-sutra: 2. I. I. 2, 328,
II) Shah U. P., Studies in Jaina..., 1955,. pp. 48-49. 16 Ibid.