Image depicting Suparshvanatha, the seventh tirthankara of present half cycle of time
The Jain idols are males depicted in both sitting and standing postures. The tīrthaṅkaras are represented either Padmasana (seated in yoga posture) or standing in the Kayotsarga posture. Parshvanatha statues are usually depicted with a snake crown on head, Bahubali statues are usually depicted covered with creepers. However, there are a few differences in Digambara and Śvetāmbara depiction of idols. Digambara images are naked without any beautification whereas Śvetāmbara ones are clothed and decorated with temporary ornaments.
The Jivantasvami images represent Lord Mahavira (and in some cases other Tirthankaras) as a prince, with a crown and ornaments. The Jina is represented as standing in the kayotsarga pose.
Jivantasvami image of a Tirthankara carved on Torana in Mahavira Jain temple, Osian
Sculpture depicting Tirthankara Parshvanatha, Thirakoil, Tamil Nadu
Jainism spread here and there all over Tamil Nadu during Sangam Age. One of the Tamil literature, called Paripadal (பரிபாடல்), probably belongs to 3rd century, mentions that there were propelling statues sculptured in stone for different deities in the temple of God Murugan in Thirupparankundram. One among them was Jain statue. Others are Kaaman-Rathi (the deities of Love), Deity Indra (the king of so-called Heavenly people according to Indian mythology), Agaligai (wife of Saint Gaudham), and Buddha.
Kalugumalai Jain Beds near Madurai belongs to one century latter is to be compared with Thirpparankunram Jain sculpture.
In addition a propelling stone statue of a Jain monk mentioned in Tamil literature is also present.
Cave inscriptions in Brahmi script of Chera kings in Pugalur probably one century earlier to that of the literature we have taken to our consideration, names some of the Jain Monks vs Yatrur Senkayapan, Pittan, Kotran. Pittan and Kotran are the chieftains of Tamil Nadu also mentioned in Tamil literature more or less to the same period.
Jain vs Buddhist iconography
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A Buddhist image can be in one of several mudras. However the Jain tirthankara images can only be in one of the two format. In Padmasana, the statues of a Jina and a Buddha can be similar. The Buddha statue has folds of the cloth on the upperbody, with cloth behind the left arm, where as the Jina statue is without clothes, unless it is a Shwetambara image which shows "kandora" folds.
Chronological Gallery: Kayotsarga Statues
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Chronological Gallery: Padmasana Statues
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Murti of Mahavira at his birthplace, Kshatriyakund (
Śvetāmbara tradition), in
Bihar
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Rishabhanatha, Parshvanatha, Neminatha, and Mahavira, LACMA, Uttar Pradesh, circa 600
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Parshvanatha, 600-700
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Rishabhanatha, 800-900
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- Pereira, José (1977), Monolithic Jinas, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 0-8426-1027-8
- Cort, John E. (2010) [1953], Framing the Jina: Narratives of Icons and Idols in Jain History, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-538502-1
- Zimmer, Heinrich (1953), Joseph Campbell (ed.), Philosophies of India, London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd, ISBN 978-81-208-0739-6
- Olivelle, Patrick (2006). Between the Empires: Society in India 300 BCE to 400 CE. Oxford University Press. p. 399. ISBN 9780199775071.
- Das, Kalyani (1980), Early Inscriptions of Mathurā
- Shah, Umakant Premanand (1995), Studies in Jaina Art and Iconography and Allied Subjects in Honour of Dr. U.P. Shah, Abhinav Publications, ISBN 9788170173168
- Shah, Umakant Premanand (1987), Jaina-rūpa-maṇḍana: Jaina iconography, Abhinav Publications, ISBN 978-81-7017-208-6
- Guy, John. “Jain Sculpture.” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. online (January 2012)