Prabuddha Jivan 2017 10 Matrubhasha Gandhiji ane Samprat Samay Visheshank

Author(s): Sejal Shah
Publisher: Mumbai Jain Yuvak Sangh

Page 55

and the dynasties which replaced them. The Chinese clothed by the sky) and the svetambaras (who clothed traveller, Hiuen-Tsiang, came across numerous in white).This trend gradually led to a complete divide Nigranthas in Vaisali near Rajgriha, Nalanda, and other or schism. It cannot be said how and where the formal places. Jainism appears to have gradually shifted, in separation came in. What is narrated by both the an increasing degree, the centre of its activity from parties, differs widely, because every side tries to show its home land, Bihar to other regions.
that it alone represents the ancient Jainism and the The Exodus and the great conflict
opposite one had arisen by the succession from the
pure faith. However, it has established fairly accurately Significant changes took place in the Jaina order
that final divide took place at the end of the first during the period when Jaina faith flourished in the Maurya empire. There was a great famine in Bihar
Jain temples of Bihar reveal the influence of Jains during Chandragupta's rule. Bhadrabahu, the head of
in the state. Sameda Sikhara was constructed in 1902. the community at that time, realised that it was not
This temple is a specimen of modern Jain art and possible either for the people to feed a great number
architecture. The Jain Temples reveal the inherent of monks under these circumstances, or for ascetics
essence of religiosity which forms the part and parcel to follow all the precepts. He, therefore, thought that
of Svetambara and Digambara Jain sects. it was advisable to immigrate with a group of devotees to Karnataka, while the remaining monks stayed back
HISTORY OF JAIN TEMPLES IN BIHAR in Magadha under the supervision of his pupil Shri Kundalpur lain Temple in Bihar Sthulabhadra.
Shri Kundalpur Digambar Jain Teerth Kshetra is The unfavourable period burdened heavily on situated in Nalanda District of Bihar nearly 4 km ahead Magadha and the monks could not strictly observe all from Nalanda Railway Station. The Teerth Kshetra is the holy customs anymore and maintain the holy 15 km from Bihar Sharif, 15 km from Rajgir, 75 km scriptures. It was therefore found to be necessary to from Gaya and 4km from Nalanda. Nearest Airport acquire the canon anew. A Council was called for the are at Patna, Bodh Gaya. purpose in Pataliputra. This assembly, however, did
Shri Kundalpur Digambar Jain Teerth Kshetra is not succeed in putting together the whole canon. When
the sacred place of Bhagwan Mahaveer's Garbha, the monks who had emigrated to Karnataka, returned,
Janma & Tapa Kalyanaka. There is a huge magnificent they did not approve the resolutions of the Council.
temple with beautiful spires in Shri Kundalpur Besides, there surfaced a difference in the ascetic
Digambar Jain Teerth Kshetra. The main Idol is an conduct of life between those who had emigrated and
attractive Bhagwan Mahaveer's Padmasana idol. those who had stayed back. Further, Lord Parsva Nath's
There is an ancient umbrella outside the temple where followers were allowed to wear clothes, whereas
foot images of Bhagwan are installed. Mahavira's followers did not wear any clothes.
Other Jain Temples in Bihar Mahavira's pupils followed his example, it
Bahubali Jain temple is similar to the statue at appears, the ascetics were not generally moving in
Shravanbelagola temple at Mysore This temple is nude. Monks staying back in Magadha gave up the
situated at Shahabad district of Bihar. Bahubali Jain custom of moving around in nude and got accustomed to wearing white garments. When the emigrants
temple has a 15' high statue of Shri Bahubali Swami.
The statue in the temple is over an artificial hillock. returned to Magadha, and found that their brothers
There are exquisite engravings of flowers, fruits and were wearing white clothes, they had the impression that practices laid down by the Lord had been
creepers round the temple. abandoned. On the other side, those who had stayed Mahavir swami, the last Tirthankara had his back and adopted white garments, felt that the Samadhi in Pawapuri in Patna district. An exquisite emigrants were showing undue fanaticism. Thus, there temple has been built inside a tank which has an came an estrangement between the two trends, the attractive mass of lotus flowers. The late Abhoy Kumar stricter one of the Digambaras (those who were Jain of Arrah conceived the idea of reproducing the
ઓક્ટોબર - ૨૦૧૭)
પ્રબુદ્ધ જીવન : માતૃભાષા, ગાંધીજી અને સાંપ્રત સમય વિશેષાંક
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