The Grammar of Jina Iconography II [Part 14] @ HereNow4U

The essay was published in Berliner Indologische Studien No. 13/14. 2000, pp. 273-337.

§ 11. Abbreviations and Terminology

Ambikā

The position of Ambikā follows from the context. Apart from “K-and-A“ we have not used special terms. Common denominator: mango bunch and child(ren). See §§ 3-6.

Apraticakrā

Identical with → Cakreśvarī.

Attendant deity

Any deity, identified or not, in a → yakṣa slot.

Basic variable

See § 6 (and 7).

Cakreśvarī

The Jaina Vaiṣṇavī (Cakreśvarī or Apraticakrā): yakṣī of Jina no. 1 and mahāvidyā no. 5. See §§ 4-6.

Couple

Mostly the Jaina couple: See § 2.

Gomukha

See § 4.

Fig.

Italics: reference to the illustrations in the present article.

Hood-circle

Our designation for the “snake canopy“.

Jaina …

The parallelism of Jaina and Hindu concepts (e.g. in the case of Kubera) makes it sometimes necessary to add “Jaina“ or “Hindu“.

Jaina art

Refer for “Jaina art“, “Śvetāmbara art“, and “Digambara art“ to § 1.

K-and-A

Kubera and Ambikā. See § 3.

Kubera

The Jaina Kubera is characterized by citron (fruit) and money-bag, see § 3.

Nemi

Short form for Neminātha and Ariṣṭanemi (Jina no. 22).

Prakrit equivalents

In some cases, the Prakrit equivalents differ considerably from the Sanskrit terms as used by us. For example, compare: Cakreśvarī (Cakkesarī), Kūṣmāṇḍinī (Kumbhaṇḍī), Pārśvanātha (Pāsanāha), prātihārya (pāḍihera), Ṛṣabha (Usabha), samavasaraṇa (samosaraṇa), Śvetāmbara (Seyambara), Trilokaprajñapti (Tiloyapannattī), yakṣa/yakṣī (jakkha/jakkhī), Yativṛṣabha (Jadivasaha).

samavasaraṇa

Gorgeous amphitheatre in which the Jina delivers his sermon. See Balbir Sa.

Śāsanadevatā

A collective name for the 24 yakṣas and the 24 yakṣīs. The word is not used by us.

Slot-filler analysis

Method of iconographic analysis based on the similar or identical slot pattern (“grid“) of different images (same type or different types). See especially Bruhn An: § 6 and Bruhn Gr I: 236-238. See also → yakṣa slots.

System

If printed in italics, the system of the 24 yakṣas and 24 yakṣīs.

System A and System B

See Bruhn Gr I: §§ 8-9.

Tritīrthika

The term seems to be modem. In inscriptions we find jina-trayaḥ (Shah Ak: 57) and jinānāṃ trayī (Mankodi Am: 100).

Type

See § 7.

Variable

See → Basic variable.

Vidyādevī

A collective name for the sixteen mahāvidyās. The word vidyādevī is not used by us.

Yakṣa slots

The places reserved for the two → attendant deities of an image (mostly on Jina images). The slots appear in the lower part of the image (to the left and right, below the Jina or at a higher level and flanking the Jina). The slots are not defined by the occupants, but by the place in the composition. For example, compare JID: fig. 242. The slot need not, however, have the form of a panel (Shah Ak: fig. 7). Occasionally, yakṣa slots with attendant deities are found on Jaina images showing non-Jinas (JID: fig. 208; Shah Pa: fig. 13b).

YY

The 24 yakṣas and 24 yakṣīs who form the system (the word yakṣiṇī is not used by us). Gomukha (no. 1), Cakreśvarī (no. 1), Ambikā (no. 22), less clear Padmāvatī (no. 23) are almost the only YY represented in art.

Ambikā	The position of Ambikā follows from the context. Apart from “K-and-A“ we have not used special terms. Common denominator: mango bunch and child(ren). See §§ 3-6.
Apraticakrā	Identical with → Cakreśvarī.
Attendant deity	Any deity, identified or not, in a → yakṣa slot.
Basic variable	See § 6 (and 7).
Cakreśvarī	The Jaina Vaiṣṇavī (Cakreśvarī or Apraticakrā): yakṣī of Jina no. 1 and mahāvidyā no. 5. See §§ 4-6.
Couple	Mostly the Jaina couple: See § 2.
Gomukha	See § 4.
Fig.	Italics: reference to the illustrations in the present article.
Hood-circle	Our designation for the “snake canopy“.
Jaina …	The parallelism of Jaina and Hindu concepts (e.g. in the case of Kubera) makes it sometimes necessary to add “Jaina“ or “Hindu“.
Jaina art	Refer for “Jaina art“, “Śvetāmbara art“, and “Digambara art“ to § 1.
K-and-A	Kubera and Ambikā. See § 3.
Kubera	The Jaina Kubera is characterized by citron (fruit) and money-bag, see § 3.
Nemi	Short form for Neminātha and Ariṣṭanemi (Jina no. 22).
Prakrit equivalents	In some cases, the Prakrit equivalents differ considerably from the Sanskrit terms as used by us. For example, compare: Cakreśvarī (Cakkesarī), Kūṣmāṇḍinī (Kumbhaṇḍī), Pārśvanātha (Pāsanāha), prātihārya (pāḍihera), Ṛṣabha (Usabha), samavasaraṇa (samosaraṇa), Śvetāmbara (Seyambara), Trilokaprajñapti (Tiloyapannattī), yakṣa/yakṣī (jakkha/jakkhī), Yativṛṣabha (Jadivasaha).
samavasaraṇa	Gorgeous amphitheatre in which the Jina delivers his sermon. See Balbir Sa.
Śāsanadevatā	A collective name for the 24 yakṣas and the 24 yakṣīs. The word is not used by us.
Slot-filler analysis	Method of iconographic analysis based on the similar or identical slot pattern (“grid“) of different images (same type or different types). See especially Bruhn An: § 6 and Bruhn Gr I: 236-238. See also → yakṣa slots.
System	If printed in italics, the system of the 24 yakṣas and 24 yakṣīs.
System A and System B	See Bruhn Gr I: §§ 8-9.
Tritīrthika	The term seems to be modem. In inscriptions we find jina-trayaḥ (Shah Ak: 57) and jinānāṃ trayī (Mankodi Am: 100).
Type	See § 7.
Variable	See → Basic variable.
Vidyādevī	A collective name for the sixteen mahāvidyās. The word vidyādevī is not used by us.
Yakṣa slots	The places reserved for the two → attendant deities of an image (mostly on Jina images). The slots appear in the lower part of the image (to the left and right, below the Jina or at a higher level and flanking the Jina). The slots are not defined by the occupants, but by the place in the composition. For example, compare JID: fig. 242. The slot need not, however, have the form of a panel (Shah Ak: fig. 7). Occasionally, yakṣa slots with attendant deities are found on Jaina images showing non-Jinas (JID: fig. 208; Shah Pa: fig. 13b).
YY	The 24 yakṣas and 24 yakṣīs who form the system (the word yakṣiṇī is not used by us). Gomukha (no. 1), Cakreśvarī (no. 1), Ambikā (no. 22), less clear Padmāvatī (no. 23) are almost the only YY represented in art.