Book Title: Life in Ancient India as Depicted in Jain Canons
Author(s): Jagdishchandra Jain
Publisher: New Book Company

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Page 253
________________ THE JAIN ARYAN COUNTRIES 251 These great men are said to have attained omniscience in these countries and by attending to their preachings a number of people were enlightencd and had taken to ascetic life.10 1 MAGADHA (RAYAGIH4)50 Magadha, which occupicd the district now called Bihar, is a very old kingdom and was counted among the sixtecn Janapadas in the Bhagazati, 31 the rest being Anga, Vanga, Alalaya, Mālavaya, Accha, Vaccha, Koccha, Pädha, Lādha, Vajji, Moli, Kāsi, Kosala, Avāha (?) and Sambhuttara (Suhmottara). It was a geat centre of activities of Mahāvila and in fact it was after the namc of this country that the language in which Mahāvila is said to have prcached his religion was called Ardhamāgadlıī Magadha was a holy place for Jains although the Brāhmanas were not allowed to enter this country, cxccpt on a pilgrimage A Jain pilguım has aptly remarked that according to the Brāhmanas, if a crow died in Käsi, it would attain salvation, but if a human being died in Magadha he would be born as a donkey,23 Rayagiha, or the modern Rajgil, was counted among the ten capital cities of India, others being Campā, Malıurā, Vārānasi, Savatthi, Sākeya Kampilla, Kosambi, Alihilā and Hatthināura 3 Rayagıha was noted for its springs known as Vahātavovatirappabha King Seniya was the ruler of Rāyagiha Vaibhāra and Vipule were well-known hills ncar Rāyagıha where a number of Jain ascetics are said to have attained salvation The famous Nālandā was a suburb of Rāyagiha Rayagıha was a centie of trade and the habitat of wealthy people Rāyagiha was aleo known as Giribbaja The fortifications of both Giribbaja and Rāyagiha aic still cxtant, soul and a half and three miles in circumference The stone walls of Gulbbaja are the oldest extant stone buildings in India 21 2 AVGA (CAMP) The Anga dominions which are identical with the country about the modern districts of Bhagalpur and Monghyı included at one time Magadha It is included among the sixteen Janapadas Campa, which was situated near modern Bhagalpu, was considered among the ten capitals Il was a beautiful and prosperous city in ancient India, a detailed description of which is given in the O. nya.25 19 Brh Bhā Vr 1 3269 fi 10 For all rescrence of this Section see Chaplci IV. 91 15 Prācīnatirthamala Sangrcha Pt I, r 4. Thā 10 718, N11 Su 9 19 Rhys Davids, Buddhust Indha, p 38. Sū.1, 24 26

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