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The Tradition of Stupa in Jainism
Arihanta-caitya and thubha or sibika. The Upanga literature like Jīvājīvābhigama 25, Jambudvīpa Prajñapti 26, etc. also talk about the stūpa at many places.
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In Rayapaseṇīyam suttam27, the description of devavimāna of Suryabhadeva is classic, informative and noteworthy. It describes many art motifs, similar to those obtained from stūpa sites at Mathura, such as toraṇa, door lintel, śālabhañjikās, life incidents of Jinas, auspicious symbols,
etc.
Besides, Anga and Upanga literature, the explanatory texts like Avaśyakaniryukti, Avaśyaka-cūrni, Vyavahāra- cūrni as well as the commentaries (tikās) of Acārānga sūtra and Sthānānga sūtra mention the stūpa, caityastūpa and stūpa-maha, while describing the various legends.
The stupa at Aṣṭāpada, the place where Rṣabha attained nirvāṇa, was established by his son Bharata Cakravartin as per Avasyaka-nirukti28. It was named as Sinhaniṣadhyāyatana, one yojana in area and three gavyutis in height. Here he installed life-size images of the 24 Jinas and also of his brothers who attained Nirvana. In order to protect the entire area from damage, he placed mechanical figures made of iron (lohamānava-yantrapurusah) as gatekeepers to guard the area. This was commented upon by Haribhadrasūri in Avasyaka-vritti (pp. 169 ). As per the legend, the first ganadhara of Mahāvīra Gautamasvāmī arrived here with 500 recluses to adore Jinas with the power generated by sun beams. Another stupa was mentioned as existing in Vesālī Nagara (Vaiśālī), erected in the memory of the 20th Tirthankara, Munisuvrata Svāmī as described in Avasyaka-curṇi29, while illustrating the thubha 25 तहेव महिंदज्झया चेतियरुक्खो चेतियथूभे, पच्चत्थिमिल्ला मणिपेढिया जिणपडिमा ।
जीवाभिगम, ३/२/१४२ । 26 ..... खिप्पामेव भो देवाणुप्पिआ तित्थगरचिइगं जावअणगारचिइगं च खीरोदगेणं णिव्वावेह, तए णं ते मेहकुमारा देवा तित्थगरचिइगं जाव णिव्वावेंति, तए णं से सक्के देविंदे देवराया भगवओ - तित्थगरस्स उवरिल्लं दाहिणं सकहं गेण्हइ ....तए णं से सक्के वयासी सव्वरयणामए महइमहालए तओ चे अभे करेह | जम्बूद्वीपप्रज्ञप्ति, २ / ३३ ।
27 'Rayapaseniya', see the chapter 5 in this book.
28 निव्वाणं चिइगाई जिणस्स इक्खाग सेसयाणं च ।
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सकहा थूभ जिणहरे जायग तेणाहिअग्गित्ति ।।
आवश्यक निर्युक्ति, ४५ ।
29 तरणं से सक्के बहवे भवणपति जाव वेमणिया एवं वयासीखिप्पामेव भो तओ चेइअ - थूभे करेह । आवश्यक चूर्णि, ऋषभनिर्वाण, प्रकरण, पृ. २२३ ।
