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

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Page 290
________________ Their Prominent Features in India and Abroad : 241 London, works brought from Indian museums and private collections have been exposed to wonder-struck visitors. A richly illustrated catalogue with erudite commentaries was published on these occasions. Entitled "Jain Art from India" it contains nearly 150 photos. With this, substantial work one can satisfy one's love for beauty and one's spiritual craving. Noteworthy to cite, among the museums in India that present to visitors beautiful Jain statues, bronzes, paintings, “mandala", etc., those in: Delhi, Allahabad, Lucknow, Chennai, Mathura, (Uttar Pradesh) Baroda (Gujarat) Bhubaneshwar (Orissa), Mumbai, Nagpur (Maharashtra), Kolkata (West Bengal) Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh), Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh), Shravana Belgola, (Karnataka), Patna (Bihar), etc. To mention also the influence Jains have had on Buddhists for the design of their statues. Such influence is so deep that people who are not specialists sometimes have great difficulties to see the differences between a Buddha or a Bodhisattva and a Tīrthankara, especially when these are in “padmāsana" posture. 2. Their prominent features outside India As we know little about Indian history in very ancient time, it is difficult to say if Jains travelled outside the borders. We know only what they say in their books or what is written in Buddhist or Hindu ones. The latter two groups speak of Jains as “Nirgrantha" that is to say "without links or ties to the world “. This word concern mostly ascetics who as a rule renounce the world, travel barefoot, some naked, who do not cover long distances. So, we can be quite sure they did not leave India like, for example, Buddhist monks did. Concerning lay Jains no specific mention is made of them living outside India apart from Nepal before the XXth century. As their religion dates from Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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