Jainism in Rajasthan

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Page 16

,AIXIST IS RIJASTHIAS Buddhist saint Tishyarakshita and his wife. When he was converted to Buddhism, hic was still tolcrant towards other rcligions, especially to Jainism. He built cave dwellings of the Barābara Hills near Gaya for the Ājīvikas, more or less a secl of the Jainas. There are frcqucnt references to liberality for the Ijirikas and Nirgranthas, the Jaina sects, in his inscriptions. This clcarly flows that next to Buddhism, he was thc follower of Jainism, the religion of his ancestors.
When Kunāla lost his claim to the throne of Magadha on account of his blindness, his son Samprati was declared as the rightful successor by
soka. 'Thc cristcncc and succession of Samprati, the grandson of Asoka, although not verified by cpigraphuc records, is supported by a considerable body of traditions, both of Jainas and Buddhists.1 Under the influence of Suhastin, the Icading saint of the Jaina community under Mahāgirī, Samprati was converted to Jainism. Ilc tried to spread Jainism by every means in his power, working as hard for Jainism as Asoka had done for Buddhism. Hc is, thereforc, regarded as a Jaina aśoka. According to Jaina scriptures, lic had decided to rinse his mouth in the morning, only after hearing the news of a new temple having been built. Besides, he got all the old and cxisting temples repaired and set up into all of them the idols made of gold, stonc, silver, brass and of a mixture of finc inerals and performed their "Anjanasalākā ceremony, 1. C., declarcd them fit for worship. Within three years and a half, he got one hundred and twenty five thousand new temples built, ;6 thousand repaired, twelve and a half millions of idols consecrated and 95 thousand metal idols prepared. This seems to be only a hyperbolic descripuon. But he seems to have built a number of Jaina temples even in Rajasthan which was included in his empire. He is said to have celebrated the installation ceremony of the image of Padmaprabha at a place named Ghinghini, through Trya Suhasti in v. 3. S. 203.3 Top attributes an old icmple ar Kumbhalmera 10 Samprati. This temple is discribed by Top in this way. “The design of this temple is truly classic. It consists only of the sanctuary which has 2 vaulted domc and a colonnaded portico all round The architecture is undoubledly Jaina, which is as distinct in character.
1. VIXCEST Surra, tarly History of India, pp. 202-203 (Scc also F. X. 1.) . T. 1. Sana Incient India, Vol. 2, pp. 293–294. 1. Blagnin Pirósnilu li Panimurā li Itihūka, p. 273.