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Place of Rajagrha in the History of Early Jainism

By Santi Mukhopadhyay

Vol. 37 · No. 2 & 3June & Sept. 1961pp. 105–110English

Summary

Focusing on Rajagrha (Rajgir), this article explores the city’s significance in early Jainism. Rajagrha, once the capital of Jarasandha and later of Bimbisara, is portrayed as a sacred site where Mahavira spent many rainy seasons and preached extensively. Drawing on Jain texts like the Kalpasutra and archaeological evidence such as temple ruins and images of Tirthankaras, the article shows that Rajagrha remained a vibrant centre for Jain monks and pilgrims long after Mahavira’s time. It also notes Buddhist accounts that describe Jain ascetics residing near the city, indicating religious coexistence. The article highlights Rajagrha’s enduring status as a pilgrimage destination and underscores how its sacred geography reflects Jain resilience and identity.

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Conclusion

By weaving textual and archaeological sources, the author establishes Rajagrha as a pivotal locus of early Jain activity. The city hosted Mahavira and his disciples, attracted pilgrims and preserved Jain relics, making it indispensable for understanding Jain history and its interaction with other faiths.

Key passages

Chosen by AI from the article's text. Each one is checked word for word against the text before it is shown.

  • “R3jagrha or modern Rajgir in घाट State of Bihar can claim to be ૦10૯ of the most interesting places in our coynery.”
  • “The Jainas claim a yenerable antiquity for their religion. They believe that their religion 15 eternal and that it has been constantly revealed in the endless succeeding periods of घाट world by the Tirchankaras.”
  • “Rajagrha, famous both in Buddhist and Jaina literature, 15 still a place of pilgrimage to the Jainas.”

Works cited in this article

  1. Cambridge History of India, vol. 1, વો. VI, p. 136
  2. Kalpasiitra of Bhadrabihu
  3. Kalpasitra, ‘Lives of the Ginas’ SBE
  4. Epitome of [ainism, Puran Chand Nahar and Krishna Ch. Ghosh
  5. Cambridge History of India, vol. 1, બોડ, VI

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In this issue

Vol. 37 · No. 2 & 3
93–104Kashmir's Contribution to the Expansion of Buddhism in the Far EastJan Yun Hua101–126Astronomical Evidence on the Age of the Rgveda105–110Place of Rajagrha in the History of Early JainismSanti MukhopadhyayCurrent article111–125The Democratic Attitude of the BuddhaNand Kishore Prasad126–134Yama and Chinese EschatologySukumari Bhattacharji135–140Coins of the Dark AgeAdris Banerji141–152Some Aspects of Vowel Contraction in PrakritS. N. Ghosal153–159The Place of Tulu in the Dravidian Family of LanguagesU. Venkatakrishna Rao160–164An Unpublished Copper Plate Grant of V.S. 1165 from RajasthanRatna Chandra Agrawala165–176The GarudasSadashiv A. Dange177–182India's Oversea Trade as known from the Buddhist CanonMadan Mohan Singh183–188History of Khandela189–191Two Prakrit Verses on Weighing ScalesMoreshwar G. Dikshit192–196Parsoji BhonslaJohn A. Ramalingam197–202Samvatsaras in the Parivrajaka InscriptionsParmeshwari Lal Gupta203–205Kotera Copper Plate Inscription of Malugideva: Saka Year 1106Bal Chandra Jain206–206On a Verse of the Pila InscriptionsDasharatha Sharma207–209KalapriyanathaShiva Shankar Awasthi210–214On the Interpretation of a passage of HarsacaritaAshok Chatterjee215–216A Newly Discovered Inscription of Samanta Singh of MewarRam Chandra Rai

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