Jaina Stupa At Mathura Art And Icons

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

Page 50

The Tradition of Stupa in Jainism
According to Prof. Dhanki, in Sanskrit, kadam stands for a heap and hence ceiyakadam means umbrella shaped caitya or thubha17.
Dr. Jain explains the word "Thubhaṁ vā Caiyakadam' as "The stūpa erected on the ashes or relics of great personalities." He elaborates the word caiyakadam as the adjective for the word 'thubha', and hence the whole word can be explained as a stūpa constructed to honour a specific personality, using some of his remains after his nirvāṇa. Thus rūkkham vā caiyakadam stands for a tree planted on the ashes of a great person. In the view of Shah U. P. caiyakadam can also be explained as a sacred place18, but this meaning is developed afterwards as noted by Dr. Jain.
49
After Acārānga sutra, the word thūpa/stūpa is mentioned in Sthānānga and Praśṇa-vyākaraṇa sūtras. To grasp its actual meaning, one must know the gradual development of the word 'caitya'. In Sanskrit dictionary the meanings of the word caitya are: heap of stones, a monument, a funeral place, yajña-vedi, adoration place, a shrine, a place where images are installed, as well as Jaina and Buddha shrines 19. The above meanings are in consequences of the development of the word in due course. After the 6th century A.D., it is used as a synonym for a Jaina or Buddhist shrine-caityalaya.
In Bhagavati-sūtra and Sthānanga-sutra20, a wide description of the caitya-stūpa is given while talking to Nandīśvara-dvīpa.
17 Jain S., Aspects of Jainology, 1998, Vo. 2, pp. 133.
18 I) Jain S., Aspects of Jainology, Vo. 2, 1998, pp. 712.
II) Shah U. P. Studies in Jaina... 1955, pp. 53.
19 Apte Vaman Shivaram, Sanskrit-Hindi Dictionary, pp. 327.
20 तेसि णं अंजणगपव्वयाणं उवरिं बहुसमरमणिज्जा भूमिभागा पण्णत्ता । तेसि णं बहुसमरमणिज्जाणं
भूमि - भागाणं बहुमज्झदेसभागे चत्तारि सिद्धायतणा पण्णत्ता
तेसि णं दाराणं पुरओ चत्तारि मुहमंडवा पण्णत्ता ।
तेसि णं मुहमंडवाणं पुरओ चत्तारि पेच्छाघरमंडवा पण्णत्ता ।
तेसि णं पेच्छाघरमंडवाणं पुरओ चत्तारि मणिपेढियाओ पण्णत्ताओ ।
तेसि णं मणिपेढियाणं उवरिं चत्तारि - चत्तारि चेइयथूभा पण्णत्ता ।
तेसि णं चेइयथूभाणं उवरिं चत्तारि मणिपेढियाओ पण्णत्ताओ ।
तासि णं मणिपेढियाणं उवरिं चत्तारि जिणपडिमाओ सव्वरयणामईओ संपलियंकणिसण्णाओ थूभाभिमुहाओ चिट्ठति, तं जहा-रिसभा, वद्धमाणा, चंदाणणा, वारिसेणा ।
- स्थाणांग, ४ / ३३९ ।