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164: JAINS TODAY IN THE WORLD
prayers. The Hindus also have a multitude of gods represented by numerous statues. It is the same in Buddhism with a lot of images of Buddha and “Bodhisattva”. It is the same with Svetāmbara Mūrtipūjaka and Digambara Bisapanthi sect. They have the statues of Tīrthankara, Yakşa, Yakṣī Gods and Goddesses in their temple.
There are innumerable Jain statues in India. Many of them are several centuries old. Some are in a good state of preservation; others are damaged or have been mutilated or broken mostly by Muslims invaders. Some have been rediscovered during archaeological excavations, some are considered to be miraculous, and others have been moved so that they are better worshiped elsewhere. Some are preserved, in various museums in India and abroad, as precious pieces of Jain art.
Most of the statues of Tirthankara represent them standing alone or grouped in “kāyotsarga" posture. Some are seated in lotus posture (padmāsana). They are for their majority made of stone or of marble. Some are in common metal, others in silver or even in gold. According to the obedience, they may or not be adorned with rich garments, diadems, crowns, precious stones and jewels. Some are adorned with flowers and various offerings from the adepts; others are nude without any adornment or offering. Some of them have the eyes closed, in a profound meditation, others have them wide open, very expressive and colourful. Some are huge: others are of human size or smaller. All are recognizable by their style that has somewhat evolved in time but has always preserved a certain unity. They have or not a tuft of curly hair and a stylised flower on their chest (śrivat the drawing of an animal or of an object on their pedestal that makes easier identify the Jina they represent called their "lāñchana".
Contrary to statues of other Indian religions, those of the Jains have neither a third eye on the forehead nor a lock of hair on their head, at the exception of Rşabha for the lock of hair. Some, like Buddhist ones, have long ears, a hood of cobras (nāga) or a triple parasol
(trichatra) above their head to mark their knowledge or their majesty. · Depending on the Tirthankara, they are in golden, white, red, green or
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