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Jainism As Perceived by Huen-Tsang
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related to Jaina religion from earliest times upto fourteenth century A.D. in the period of Acārya Jinaprabhasūri as he records it in his Vividhatirthakalpa.22 “If one analyses the travel account of Huentsang, it would be presumed that there is some confusion; and in place of Mathura, some other town was described. The Yamuna river which is the chief feature of area finds no mention ......... The distance and measurements of the places do not seem to be correct. It appears that he bypassed Mathura and maintained the record on the basis of his personal enquiry.”:23
Bengal and Orissa have been the strong-hold of Jainism from the early centuries. The Kalpasūtra Therāvali24 mentions the four branches of Godāsagana, a line originating from preceptor Godāsa namely - Tāmraliptikā, Kotivarșikā, Pundravardanikā and Dāsīkharabaţikā. The first three śākhās were closely associated with the land of Bengal. Just before the coming of the travellor, the Pahārapur copper plates 25 of A.D. 478 records the donation of some land for the maintenance of worship at the Jaina Vihāra at Vața Gohālī, which was presided over by the pupils of the Nirgrantha teacher Guhanandina of the Pañcastūpanikāya of Vārānasī. It indicates the general acceptance of Jainism and its popularity among the middle classes. Even after the departure of Huen-tsang. Jainism continued to be popular in these areas. We have some epigraphical records belonging to this period. An inscription of Sailodbhava dynasty, belonging to the later half of the seventh century A.D. refers to some Jaina monks as Prabuddhacandra and his preceptor. Another inscription belonging to the same period has been discovered from Ratnagiri hills situated in Cuttak district of Orissa. It gives the information about the installation of Jaina images and the existence of early Jaina establishment on these hills.26
The Chinese traveller visited south India and there, too, he finds the presence of Jaina followers. He states that the Nirgranthas were in abundance in the country of Cola? (Chu-li-ye) and Malakūta (Mo-lo-kin-cha)28 It seems that both cities were situated near modern Kanjieevaram. Some scholars are of the opinion that Huen-tsang did not go farther south than Kancipura or Kanjeevaram.29
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