This is a folio from a manuscript of the Uttaradhyayanasutra, a Jain text. Jainism is one of the oldest living religions in the world and had emerged in India by around the 6th century BC. Its best-known ideal is non-violence. Jains revere 24 Jinas (spiritual victors) or Tirthankaras (fordmakers), who showed the way to achieve liberation from the ocean of birth and rebirth.
The Uttaradhyayanasutra is believed by members of the Shvetambara sect of Jains to contain the last teachings of Mahavira, the 24th and last Jina, considered to be the historical founder of Jainism. This canonical text is concerned with the rules of behaviour that govern monastic life. The Uttaradhyayanasutra is classified as a ‘Mula’ or ‘fundamental’ work of Jain scripture.
This Uttaradhyayanasutra manuscript is one of the earliest known illustrated versions. It lacks the lavish use of gold and ultramarine blue seen in many contemporary and later manuscripts but its fine illustrations are notable for the quality of line, harmonious colour balances and the often lively and unusual compositions.
The painting illustrates beautifully the strength of will that a monk must exert to honour his vows of chastity. Here, a Shvetambara monk, clad in white, diaphanous robes, stares out of the picture impassively. Two beautiful young women, dressed in rich garments and jewels, attempt to engage his attention. Female musicians and a dancer add to the distractions.
The monk is depicted frontally, with the cool passivity of a sculpture. The women are enlivened by the daring combination of a three-quarter view for head and torso and full profile for the feet. The fluttering of sari ends, breast shawl, and long, plaited hair all add to the sense of animation.
Physical description
Folio from a manuscript of the Uttaradhyayanasutra. One of 46 leaves on light-brown paper. The text, written in black ink, is in 15 lines. Not all folios are illustrated but the illustration, where present, is on the left and is roughly square in shape. In the centre of each page the text is interrupted by a lozenge-shaped blank space. There are thin double-ruled black margins filled with red. Gold is not used in this manuscript.
In this folio, a Shvetambara monk, clad in white, diaphanous robes, stares out of the picture impassively, while two beautiful young women, dressed in rich garments and jewels, attempt to engage his attention. Female musicians and a dancer add to the distractions. The monk is depicted frontally, with the cool passivity of a sculpture, while the women are enlivened by the daring combination of a three-quarter view for head and torso, and full profile for the feet, imparting tension and movement. The fluttering of sari ends, breast shawl, and long, plaited hair all add to the sense of animation.
The painting beautifully illustrates the strength of will that a monk must exert to honour his vows of chastity. The conditions of perfect chastity.
Place of Origin
Stambhatirtha, Cambay, Gujarat, India (made)
Date
mid-15th century (painted)
Object history note
A folio from the Uttaradhyanasutra, a Jain text containing the last teachings of Mahavira. This canonical text set out the rules of behaviour for the monastic community.
Jain monks have traditionally been supported by a much larger lay community, who gained spiritual merit by commissioning manuscripts, which were preserved in temple libraries. Jainism has two sects, Shvetambara and Digambara, and the illustrated
manuscript to which this folio belongs was painted for Jains of the Shvetambara sect. Surviving Jain manuscripts show that a distinctive Western Indian painting style had developed by the 12th century.
The earliest Jain manuscripts were written on palm leaf with painted wooden covers but during the 14th century paper came into general use for illustrated manuscripts. One feature that can be seen in this manuscript is the interruption of the text with a lozenge-shaped blank space to allow for the perforation of a binding cord. In fact, no such hole has been made. This is a reminder that medieval paper manuscripts in this format were still following in some respects the conventions of the long narrow strips of the palm-leaf manuscript.
This manuscript bears a later colophon stating that it was produced at Stambhatirtha in Cambay on the Gujarat coast, which was a major port and hub of Jain mercantile activity.
Descriptive line
Folio from an Uttaradhyayanasutra manuscript, Gujarat, India, Jain, ca.1460
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
Losty, J. The Art of the Book in India. London : British Library, 1982. p. 60, cat.27.
Brown, W. Norman, 'Manuscript Illustrations of the Uttaradhyayana Sutra'. American Oriental Society, New Haven, Connecticut, 1941, 45 p.
Note: Explanatory text and examples, all of which are different from the V&A folios. Balbir et al note the divergence of the illustrations in the V&A manuscript from the more common examples shown in Brown.
Guy, J. 'Jain Manuscript Painting' and catalogue number 84 'Chaste Monk Avoids the Lures of Women' in Pal, P. ed. 'The Peaceful Liberators: Jain Art from India', New York and London : Thames and Hudson and Los Angeles : Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1995. ISBN 050001650x and ISBN 0875871720. Pp.89-99, especially pp.96-97; p.206.
Balbir, N. et al, 'Catalogue of the Jain Manuscripts of the British Library including the holdings of the British Museum and the Victoria & Albert Museum'. London, British Library and Institute of Jainology, 2006. Vol 1, pp.38-39, Vol 2, pp.138-141.
Exhibition History
The Peaceful Liberators: Jain Art from India (Victoria and Albert Museum 02/11/1995-21/01/1996)
Nehru gallery (01/01/1988-31/12/1994)
The Peaceful Liberators: Jain Art from India (Victoria and Albert Museum 02/11/1995-21/01/1996)
The Peaceful Liberators: Jain Art from India (New Orleans Museum of Art 15/07/1995-17/09/1995)
The Peaceful Liberators: Jain Art from India (Kimbell Art Museum 05/03/1995-28/05/1995)
The Peaceful Liberators: Jain Art from India (Los Angeles County Museum of Art 06/11/1994-22/01/1995)
Labels and date
A MONK RESISTING THE ATTRACTIONS OF WOMEN
Gouache and ink on paper
Cambay, Gujarat
Mid-15th century
IS 2-1972 (f.16)
An illustration from the Uttaradhyayana Sutra, a text containing the last teachings of Mahavira, the historical founder of Jainism, which set out the rules of behaviour for the monastic community. [1988]
Production Note
The place of origin is given in a later colophon in the manuscript
Categories
Manuscripts; Jain
Collection code
SSEA
