Mahavira's Samavasarana: Folio from a Kalpasutra Manuscript

Unknown artist

Mahavira is installed at the center of his congregation platform, or samavasarana, preaching to the universe. Upon his attaining perfect knowledge and thus becoming a perfected being (siddha), an elevated preaching space of three walls (of gold, silver, and jewels) was created for the jina. At the center is a platform with four lion thrones beneath a tree, each facing a jeweled gate; Mahavira faces east and the other three thrones are occupied by sculptures of him.