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Jainism Under the Mauryas:
Jainism appears to have been prevalent even during the Maurya period. Jaina tradition avers that towards the end of his life, Chandragupta Maurya became a convert to Jainism.1 He was admitted to monkhood at Ujjain and retired to Sravana-belagola in Mysore with the saint (śrutakevalin) Bhadrabahu. There he starved to death in the Jaina fashion. Several inscriptions in Mysore dating from about 900 A.D. refer to the pair (Yugma) Bhadrahu and Chandragupta,3
Jainism prospered much under the patronage of Samprati, the grandson of Aśoka. He became a devout follower of Jainism because of the discourses of the Jaina saint Arya Suhastin.4 He is regarded as Jaina Aśoka in history. Just as Aśoka propagated Buddhism, similarly Samprati took measures for the propagation of Jainism. He is said to have constructed Jaina temples at several places and installed images in them. He organized several Samghas to holy places. He sent religious missionaries to the countries of Andhras and Dramilas to propagate the religion.
'Nigatasa Vihara dipe' inscribed on one of the pot sherds found at Kasrawad, may prove the esistence of the Jaina monestery. It means that the lamps from the Nigatas monastery was used for lighting the rooms. tery may be attributed to the Maurya period.
When Arya Suhastin visited Ujjain in order to worship the image of Jivanta Svami. Avanti Sukumāls took the vocation of monkhood from him. After the death of Avanti Sukumala, a stupüa was erected in order to commemorate him and the image of Parsvanatha was installed in it. After some time, the stüpa became barren, and it was known by the name of Kudugeśvarn (God of the Great Forest).
Being a holy place, Ujjain was frequently visited by Jaina saints such as Vajra dwelt at Chanarudra, Bhadrakagupta, Aryarakshita and Arya Ashädha.7 Tumbavanagrama (Tumain). After Simhagiri had taught him the eleven angas Vajra went from Dashpura to Bhadragupta at Avanti (Ujjaini) to learn the twelfth viz Drishtivadanga. He was the last who knew the complete ten purvas, and from him arose the Vajraśākha.8 Dasapura (Mandsor) is the birth place of the Jaina saint Aryarakshita who learnt from Vajra nine pürvas, and a fragment of the tenth, and taught them to his pupil Durbalikapushpamitra. The seventh
1. Parisishtaparvan, pp. 415 ff. 2. Ibid, p. 156. 3. Coorge from inscriptions, pp. 3 ff. 7. Jaina Tirtha Sarva Samgraha, 11, p. 318.
4. IA,XI, p. 246.
Mahavira Jayanti Smarika, 76
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