Page:History of Indian and Eastern Architecture Vol 2.djvu/26

 JAINA ARCHITECTURE. BOOK V. development. From that point it progresses during one or two centuries towards greater richness, but in doing so loses the purity and perfection it had attained at the earlier period, and from that culminating point its downward progress can be traced through abundant examples to the present day. When, however, we try to trace its upward progress the case is widely different. General Cunningham found some Jaina statues at Mathura belonging to the period of the Kushan kings, and excavations there in 1887 and following seasons, brought to light portions of a carved rail, statues, and numerous other sculptures, belonging to a stupa, and two or more ancient temples there; but among them were images belonging to so late a date as the nth century. 1 Before this last period, we have only fragments of temples of uncertain origin and date, and all in so very ruined a condition that they hardly assist us in our researches. Yet the Jains during the whole of this interval were a flourishing community, and had their temples as well as their rock-cut sanctuaries, such as we see at Khandagiri in Orissa, at Junagadh, Elura, Ankai, Aihole, and elsewhere. Meanwhile one thing seems tolerably clear, that the religion of the Buddhists and that of the Jains were so similar to one another, both in their origin and their development and doctrines, that their architecture must also at first have been nearly the same. In consequence of this, if we could trace back Jaina art from about the year 1000, when practically we first meet it, to the year 600 or 700, when we lose sight of Buddhist art, we should probably find the two very much alike. Or if, on the other hand, we could trace Buddhist art from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1000, we should as probably find it developing itself into something like the temples on Mount Abu, and elsewhere, at that period of time. A strong presumption that the architecture of the two sects was similar arises from the fact of their principal sculptures being so nearly identical that it is not always easy for the casual observer to distinguish what belongs to the one and what to the other ; and it requires some experience to do this readily. The Tirthankaras are generally represented seated in the same cross-legged attitude as Buddha, with the same curly hair, and the same stolid contemplative expression of countenance. Where, however, the emblems that accompany the Jaina saints can be recognised, this difficulty does not exist. Another test arises from the fact that the Digambara 1 ' Archaeological Reports,' vol. i. pp. 231-244, plates 39 and 40 ; vol. iii. pp. 31 et scqq.) plates 13 and 15 ; vol. xi. p. 75 ; vol. xvii. pp. 1 07- 1 1 2, and plates 30 and 3 1 ; vol. xx. pp. 30-39, and plates 2-5 ; V. Smith, 'The Jain StCipa, etc., of Mathura.'