Book Title: Jainism in South India and Some Jaina Epigraphs
Author(s): P B Desai
Publisher: Jain Sanskruti Samrakshak Sangh Solapur
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2. JAINISM IN ANDHRA DESA
while dealing with Jainism in Andhra Dosa that the origins of South Indian Jainism were laid in the Kalinga country by Lord Mahāvīra himself during the sixth century B. C. We shall also see that Jainism had entrenched itself in the Andhra country by the period of the 4th century B. C. Further, there are reasons to believe that it was not through Bhadrabahu and his disciples alone that Jainism spread to all parts of South
India.
Among the traditions referring to the missionary activities of the Jaina faith noticed above, the first and the last seem to have belonged to the Digambara School and the remaining two confined to the Svētambara Sect. The third tradition adverting to Samprati particularly characterised as the Jaina literary tradition of Western India, According to this account Samprati was a great patron of the Jaina faith and he established Jaina monasteries even in the non-Aryan countries. "Almost all ancient Jaina temples or monuments of unknown origin are ascribed by the popular voice to Samprati, who is, in fact, regarded as Jaina Asoka."
CHAPTER II
JAINISM IN ANDHRA DESA
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1. Traditions and Literature
ORIGIN: The origin of Jainism in the Andhra Dosa might be ascribed to as early a period as the 6th century B. C. during the life time of Lord Mahavira himself who seems to have laid its foundations by preaching his doctrine in the region of Kalinga which comprises the northern frontiers of the Andhra country. Meagre and isolated though the evidence, it need not be discounted. A Jaina literary tradition of a later period testifies to the visit of the great teacher to the Kalinga country' evidently for the propagation of his gospel. This information, as we shall discuss presently, stands supported by the authentic and very early testimony of an epigraph.
family
CONFLICT WITH BUDDHISM: Soon after this Buddhism too appears to have wended its way into the Andhra Desa, which thus became the scene of conflict between the two rival creeds. A glimpse of this conflict may be gathered from the following story related in the eleventh aśvāsa or chapter of the Jaina work Dharmamṛita by Nayasena. In brief the story is like this.
NAYASENA'S NARRATIVE: Dhanada, a Jaina prince of the Ikshvaku was ruling the Vengi Mandala from his capital Pratipalapura. He
1
Vincent Smith: Early History of India (3rd ed.), p. 193,
2 Epigraphia Indica, Vol. XX, p. 88 and n. 11.
