Jainism in Uttar Pradesh

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Sarnath Jain Tirth, the birthplace of Shreyanasanatha. Digamber Jain Temple, Sarnath.jpg
Sarnath Jain Tirth, the birthplace of Shreyanasanatha.

Uttar Pradesh , a state in north India has a long association with Jainism. Today the state is home to a number of Jain monuments, such as Jain Temples and Jain Tirths. There are around 213,267 Jains in Uttar Pradesh according to the 2011 Census of India. [1]

Contents

History

Parshvanatha, the twenty-third tirthankara, was born in Benaras (now Varanasi) [2] in 872 BCE. [3] According to Jain tradition, Kashi (now Varanasi) is the birthplace of three more tithankaras, namely Suparshvanatha, Chandraprabha and Shreyansanatha. [4]

According to Jain tradition, five tirthankaras were born at Ayodhya, including Rishabhanatha, [5] Ajitanatha, [6] Abhinandananatha, [7] Sumatinatha [8] and Anantanatha. [9]

The famous naked male torso found at Lohanipur, whether Mauryan or, more likely Kushana, is generally taken as indicative evidence of ascetic tradition in north India. Inscriptions from the many ayagapatas of the Mathura region make clear that puja to the tirthankaras with lay and ascetic involvement was an important dimension to this. [10]

The earliest archeological evidence is in the form of a naked headless torso discovered in 1937 near Patna (Bihar), which is called the Lohanipur Torso. This has been dated by modern scholarship to about the 2nd-century BCE. It is a highly polished stone artwork of precise human form, but it is unclear if it belongs to Jainism, Ajivikas or some other Indian religious ascetic tradition. [11] While it is not Buddhist, and is naked like the Jinas, it may also not be a Jain statue because it lacks the Jain iconography, and because similar high quality Jain artworks are missing for many centuries and Jain artworks that have been found from the same period in north India show quite different forms and symbols. It may belong to Ajivikas or another ancient Indian naked ascetic tradition. [11] [12] Ancient naked terracotta statues discovered in 1970s near Ayodhya are similar to the Lohanipur Torso, but terracotta arts are also missing in Jaina tradition and the Ayodhya terracotta statues too lack Jain iconography. [11] [12]

Shravasti

Shravasti is often mentioned in Jaina sources. It is also called Chandrapuri or Chandrikapuri or Ārya Kṣetra, because Jaina texts state that two of their Tirthankaras were born here millions of years ago, in prehistoric times – Sambhavanatha (3rd of 24) and Chandraprabha (8th of 24). Sravasti is also known as the capital city of Kunala's kingdom. [13]

Sambhavanatha is said to have had taken initiation, donated all his belongings, and broken his first fast in Sravasti after begging for alms from King Surendradatta. [14] [15] Munisuvrataswami, the 20th Tirthankara, visited Sravasti and initiated several members of the royal family. As per the Jaina text Jnatadharmakathah, Parshvanatha, the 23rd Tirthankara, also visited Sravasti and inspired several lay-followers to accept initiation. [16]

Further, Shravasti is the place of the bitter arguments and meeting between Mahavira – the 24th Tirthankara, and Gosala Mankhaliputta – the founder of Ajivikas and a rival. According to the Jain texts, the Mahavira visited Shravasti many times and spent his tenth varsha monsoon season here before attaining omniscience. He was hosted by a wealthy merchant named Nandinipriya. Ancient Jain scholars such as Kapila, Maghavan and Keshi studied in Shravasti. [16] At Sravasti, Jamāli, Mahavira's son-in-law, created the first of the eight heretical sects by opposing tenets of Jainism as taught by Mahavira himself. The eighth heretical sect, Digambara sect, was created by Sivabhuti at Rathavirapur. [17] As described in the Jaina text Uttaradhyayana Sutra, the discussion between Keśiśramanācharya and Mahavira's first disciple, Gautama Swami, is said to have had taken place at Sravasti. This was the place where Upkeśa Gaccha was established by Keśiśramanācharya after he accepted Mahavira's conduct and became a white-clad monk along with all his disciples who were initially following Parshvanatha's conduct. [18] Moreover, the Pattavali described in the Kalpa Sūtra, states the existence of "Śrāvastikā Śākhā", one of the four branches of the "Veṣavāṭikgaṇa" of the Jaina sangha. It had originated from Ācārya Kāmardhi, a disciple of Ācārya Suhastisuri, belonging to the beginning of the 3rd century BCE. [19] Ācārya Jinaprabhasuri, in his Vividha Tirtha Kalpa confirms that a Jaina temple with an image of Sambhavanatha was renovated multiple times until it was finally completely desecrated during the reign of Alauddin Khilji. [20]

Bundelkhand

It is one of the few regions in India where Jainism has a strong presence and influence. There are many ancient tirthas in Bundelkhand. Many of the modern scholars of Jainism are from this region.[ citation needed ]

Deogarh

Deogarh, UP. Jain temple complex.jpg
Images of tirthankaras in Deogarh fort temple
Parsvanath AS IS.jpg
Pārśva & Supārśva

The fort temples are dominated by the Jain temples in the eastern part of the hill fort; the images here are mostly of the "iconographic and the stylistic variety". [21] The Jain complex was built during 8th to the 17th century and consist of 31 Jain temples housing around 2,000 sculptures which is the largest such collection in the world. [22] The Jain temples have a large number of panels depicting scenes from Jain philosophy, tirthankara images and votive tablets. The pillars are carved with a thousand figures. [23] Worship at some of the Jain temples are still held regularly. The most famous of the Jain temples in the fort is the Shantinath temple, which was built before 862 AD. It is testament that a prosperous Jain community lived in this region. [24] Jain temple complex in Deogarh is protected by the Department of Archaeology of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). [25] ASI maintain an archaeological museum at the Deogarh site, which is noted for its treasured archaeological sculptures. [26]

Kankali Tila

Ayagapatta, excavated from Kankali Tila, Mathura Museum, 1st century CE Upper Half of Ayagapatta with Miniature Tirthankara and Other Sacred Symbols - Circa 1st Century CE - Chaubia Pada - ACCN 48-3426 - Government Museum - Mathura 2013-02-24 5984.JPG
Ayagapatta , excavated from Kankali Tila, Mathura Museum, 1st century CE

Kankali Tila is a mound located at Mathura. The name of the mound is derived from a modern temple of Hindu goddess Kankali. The famous Jain stupa was excavated here in 1890-91 by Alois Anton Führer (Dr. Führer). [27] The archaeological findings testifies the existence of two Jain temples and stupas . Numerous Jain sculptures, Ayagapattas (tablet of homage). [28]

Most sculptures could be dated from the 2nd century BC to the 12th century CE, thus representing a continuous period of about 14 centuries during which Jainism flourished at Mathura. These sculptures are now housed in the Lucknow State Museum and in the Mathura Museum. The excavations of Kankali Tila are regarded as a testimony great antiquity of Jainism. [29]

Prominent Tirthas

Shobhnath temple, Shravasti Shobhnath temple (5703632908).jpg
Shobhnath temple, Shravasti

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Office of registrar general and census commissioner (2011), C-1 Population By Religious Community, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India
  2. ↑ Zimmer 1953, p. 195.
  3. ↑ Zimmer 1953, p. 183.
  4. ↑ "4 Jain Tirthankaras born in Varanasi", The Times of India , 25 August 2015
  5. ↑ Birth of Adinath in Ayodhya, archived from the original on 27 June 2012, retrieved 5 March 2012
  6. ↑ Birth of Ajitnath in Ayodhya, archived from the original on 14 April 2012, retrieved 5 March 2012
  7. ↑ Birth of Abhinandanath in Ayodhya, archived from the original on 10 April 2012, retrieved 5 March 2012
  8. ↑ Birth of Sumatinath in Ayodhya, archived from the original on 10 March 2012, retrieved 5 March 2012
  9. ↑ Birth of Anantnath in Ayodhya, archived from the original on 14 April 2012, retrieved 5 March 2012
  10. ↑ Patrick Olivelle 2006, p. 399.
  11. 1 2 3 John Cort 2010, pp. 32–37.
  12. 1 2 Balcerowicz 2015, pp. 286–287.
  13. ↑ Temple, Richard. "Indian Antiquary Vol 53".
  14. ↑ www.wisdomlib.org (30 November 2018). "Part 10: Sambhava's initiation". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
  15. ↑ www.wisdomlib.org (30 November 2018). "Part 11: Sambhava's fast-breaking". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
  16. 1 2 Law 1935, pp. 25–26.
  17. ↑ Chatterjee, Aseem Kumar. "Comprehensive History Of Jainism".
  18. ↑ Jacobi, Hermann. "TWENTY-THIRD LECTURE: KÊSI AND GAUTAMA".
  19. ↑ Jacobi, Hermann. "LIST OF THE STHAVIRAS".
  20. ↑ Jinaprabhasuri, Ācārya. "Vividha Tirtha Kalpa".
  21. ↑ Titze p.103
  22. ↑ Jain Temple Complex, uptourism.gov.in, archived from the original on 13 March 2017, retrieved 22 September 2017
  23. ↑ "Deogarh" . Retrieved 8 January 2010.
  24. ↑ Titze, Kurt; Bruhn, Klaus (1998). Jainism: a Pictorial guide to the religion of non-violence. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. p. 105. ISBN   81-208-1534-3.
  25. ↑ Alphabetical List of Monuments - Lucknow Circle, Uttar Pradesh, Archaeological Survey of India, retrieved 22 September 2017
  26. ↑ Universiteit van Amsterdam and Institute of South Asian Archaeology (1958). Studies in south Asian culture, Part 3. Brill Archive. pp. 1–29.
  27. ↑ Smith 1901, p. Introduction.
  28. ↑ Das 1980, p. 171.
  29. ↑ Thomas 1877, p. 80.

References

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