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Text, Folio 57 (recto), from a Kalpa-sutra

c. 1475–1500
Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper

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FROM THE CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART’S CATALOG

The founder of Jainism, Mahavira, had 11 main disciples, all depicted as identical to one another. They all sit in a meditative posture, with the left hand in the lap, while the right hand is in the gesture of teaching. They each have shaven heads, elongated earlobes, and white robes, indicating that this manuscript was used by the Shvetambara (White Clad) sect. In the upper central grid, decorated with flowers, is a stylized om-hrim, mystic syllables visually combined to invoke the essence of all Jain teaching.

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