Studies in Jaina Art

Author(s): Umakant P Shah
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 62

A BRIEF SURVEY OF JAINA ART IN THE NORTH
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of Indra, Rudra, Skanda, Mukunda, Bhūta, Yakşa, Nāga, Stūpa, Věkşa, Mountain, Agada, tank, lake, river, ocean etc., and prohibits Jaina monks from accepting food distributed at such festivals. A similar list is given in the Jñā tādharmakathā-sütra where, on seeing many people going out to see Mahāvira, a person in Rājagtha asks whether it was a festival in honour of Indra, Rudra etc. Similarly, the Bhagavati sütra shows that when Mahāvīra reaches Kşatriyakunda-grāma, Jamãli puts the same question on seeing people flocking to see Mahāvira. 3 Pandit Hamsarāja Shăstri suggests that in these contexts, Ceiya or Cetiya-mahotsava is a festival at the end of a sacrifice. Of course we are here reminded of the Caitya-yajña of the Āśvalāyana Gșhya sūtra, but the Caitya-mahotsava may be festival of any of the existing Caitya or holystead, a shrine, like the Pürņabhadra, Bahuputrikā, Guñasila and other Caityas mentioned in the Jaina texts or the Gotama, Ananda and such other Caityas referred to in Buddhist works. But since Yakşa, Näga and others are separate. ly mentioned in the lists of festivals noted above, it is just probable that the Caitya-mahotsava here refers to yajñasthana or vedic cayana or to the three types of cetiyas discussed by Buddha or generally to all the holysteads and cult-objects not specified as Indra, Rudra, Stūpa, Vškșa etc.
At another place in the Acārānga Sūtra we find the use of the word 754125 where Ceiya is used in the sense of a structure or edifice (a piled-up thing) erected and offered for residence to the Jaina monks. This explanation offered by the commentator Silānka-ācārya 6 seems quite appropriate in the context.
A third type of reference to Ceiya in the Ācārānga is still more interesting as it speaks of 457 91 23758, ni ar 2776 (Acā. 12. 1.3.3., p. 352 ). Silānka explains this as : 57 al aufà e f fatIGETSTÅ, Fag at Tradifanai...... Evidently the tree or stūpa is here said to be caityādhisthita or caityopalakṣita.?
1 Acāränga Sütra 2. 1. I. 2, p. 328. 2 Nāyādhammakahāo, I. 25, p. 23. 3 Bhagavati Sūtra, śataka 9, uddeśa 33. 4 dagai HIGI, p. 55. 6 Acārānga, 2.1. 2.2 sū., 80, pp. 366-67.
6 cf:-aara: a: EF: aga U18 sfera 79 79 III - शालादीनि स्वार्थ कुर्वद्भिः श्रमणाद्यवकाशार्थ 'चेइयाई' महान्ति कृतानि भवन्ति, तानि चागाराणि F998 gefa.. I op. cit., p. 366.
7 With this one may also note references to चैत्यवृतs, चैत्यस्तूपs, and FTFITs, in Jivājīvābhigama sutra, (D.L.J.P.F. no. 50), sū. 142, pp. 251-252, sū. 137, pp. 225 ff. For TETTs also see Jambūdvipaprajñapli, 1, 2. sū. 33, p. 158 and Comm. of Sānticandra on p. 163.