________________
Sce. 4. HSTORICAL POSITION OF THE T. S.
rɔɔ:i, therebyr: they left them and established the sanzhi according to the orthodox tardition of nudity.
These legends along with the others told in the later time82 were derived undeniably from the aforeintroduced Sravanabelgala inscription no. 1 of c. 600 A. D. This inscription clearly informs us that Bhadrabahusvāmi who predicted the twelve years' famine at Ujjain is a different saint from Bhad as āhu I whose immediate disciple is recorded as Visakha. The inscription is totally silent about the migration of this certain nimittajña Bhadrabahu, which must mean that he did not at all come to the South. Prabhācandru whose death fast was followed by many other saints in the course of time was likely an outstanding figure in the migrated san zha, but he had nothing to do with Candragupta Maurya.
Yativrşabba (between 473 and 609 A. D.) mentions about Candragupta in his Tiloyapannatti 4.1481 that he was initiated into the Jaina faith. Verse 4. 1482 then speaks about five śrutake valis including Bhadrabahu, which therefore suggests that Candragupti referred to above is identical with the Maurya King by this name. Śravanıbelgola inscription no. 31 (17-18) of c. 650 A. D. refers to Bhadrabahu and Candragupta, who are however not at all said to have visited bere 83 This Bhadrabahu--Candragupta theme the developed into the existence of their foot-prints impressed on the summit of the Candragiri around 900 A. D.84 Harişeņa (931-932 A. D.) tells that Candragupta alias Viśākha led the sangha to the South. Since Visakha Ā ārya is the direct disciple of Bhadradabu I, Har:sena identifies him with Candragupta Maurya.
From this it is apparent that Bhadrabahu I-Candragupta Maurya legend gradually got into shape on the basis of the mention of Bhadrabahusvāmi and Prabhacandra in the scavanabelgoli inscription, which fatally determined the pontiffical liceage of of the Digambaras. This Śravanabelgola inscription no. 1 which record in Kannada script the past history of the migrated sarigha was likely made when the sangha came to be firinly rooted in this area, because the inscription at Śravanabelgola went on increasing thenceforth indicating that it became the stronghold of the Jainas in the South The inscription is completely silent about the schism which must have occurred before c. 478 A, D, the date of the copper-plate ordinance of Mrgeśavarman. The recorded content of this inscription is that the sangha migrated to this place from the North due to the twelve years' famine predicted by Bhadrabahu at Ujjain. This is a matter of fact history known to this migrated sangha. A iweive years' famine is reported in the Jaina source in reference to the cause of the Third! Valabhi Council held in 453 or 465 A, D. but no record of a long famine during the 6th century A D in the North seems to be found in the Jaina source. Also it is quite reasonable to assume that over a century of time was required for this migrated sangha to establish itself as th: centre of the Jainas in the South. It is therefore
128
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
