Book Title: Jains Today in World
Author(s): Pirre Paul AMIEL
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

View full book text
Previous | Next

Page 139
________________ 102: JAINS TODAY IN THE WORLD fast. Every year, in May-June, numerous adepts come there to commemorate this fact. There also were born Sānti, Kunthu and Ara, respectively 16", 17th and 18th Tīrthankara. One can see, on the hill near, their footprints and, in the village, a Digambara temple and a Śvetāmbara one dedicated to śānti. Both of them are very beautiful. The Digambara nun Gyanmati Mataji has established in the village a "Triloka Sodha Sansthāna" for the study of Jain cosmology. In this centre, created in 1985, one can see a representation of the "Jambūdvīpa” (the Isle of the rose apple-tree) and, while climbing the staircase of a tower, look at the isles and oceans of this renowned mythical continent. An ancient temple dedicated to Mahāvīra and some chapels stand here. There is also a Digambara boarding school for boys (gurukula), a Svetāmbara sanctuary and two “dharmaśāla”. Kahaum, the oldest “mānastambha” erected by Jains in 146 AD with four sculpted Tirthankara, Kampila (Kāmpilya), ancient capital of Pāñcāla, place of great Jain pilgrimage, numerous ancient Jain sanctuaries, unfortunately in ruins today and two recent ones, a Svetambara and a Digambara. According to tradition, it is here that Vimala (the 13" Tīrthankara) was born, has attained illumination and liberation. It is also here that Emperor Harişeņa converted himself to Jainism. One can see two very beautiful and impressive statues of Nemi, in Gupta style, a black one in the Digambara temple, and a white one in the Svetāmbara sanctuary, Kaushambi, a Digambara temple and a Svetāmbara one dedicated to Padmaprabha (the 6th Tīrthankara). This place often visited by Mahāvīra is an object of pilgrimages, Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

Loading...

Page Navigation
1 ... 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338 339 340 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 348 349 350 351 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360