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MEDIÆVAL JAINISM which were surrounded by little flower gardens. Their temples were situated at places where two or three roads met. They preached their doctrines from raised platforms ; and they conducted monasteries for nuns. These details perhaps refer to Madura.
In the Manimekhalai we have a detailed exposition of the Nirgrantha philosophy as preached in Madura. Manimekhalai dissatisfied with the teachings of Markali, turns to the Nirgrantha and asks him to describe to her his deity, his teachings, his authoritative texts, and his idea of bondage and nirvāņa. And then the Nirgrantha relates in detail the six sections of his teachings,-dharmāstikāya adharmūstikāya, kāla, ākāsa, jīva, and paramāņus, with good and bad deeds, and the release (vidu).
Although no conclusion has been arrived at concerning the age to which Manimekhalai can be assigned, yet it may be presumed that the account of the Jaina philosophy as given in that work was in vogue in the south somewhere in the
1. Ramaswami, Studies, p. 17.
2. For a detailed account read Kanakasabhai, The Tamils 18,000 Years Ago, pp. 215-216, Ramaswami, ibid., pp. 50-51, S. K. Ayyangar, Manimekhalai in Ils Historical Setting, pp. 196-197.
3. Dr. S. K. Ayyangar is inclined to place this work in the second century A.D. Beginnings of South Indian History, pp. 168-192 ; Ancient India, pp. 360, 380-382. This conclusion of Dr. Ayyangar was long ago controverted and disproved by M. S. Ramaswami Ayyangar, who has amply demonstrated that Manimekhalai belongs to the sixth or seventh century A.D. Studies, pp. 149-153. Dr. Ayyangar has failed to meet these arguments. Read his Manimekhalai, pp. xxvi--xxix. Ramaswami Ayyangar's conclusion is supported by Prof. Jacobi who also opined that Manimekhalai was to be assigned to the sixth century A.D. Read Jacobi in S. K. Ayyangar's Alanimekhalai, Intr. p. xxxiv.
