Aspects of Jaina Monasticism

SR No.: 001332
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Nathmal Tatia, Mahendramuni
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati
Publication Year: 1981
Total Pages: 175
Language: English
Classification: Book_English & Philosophy
File Size: 10 MB

Page 107

category of practitioners, depending on their initial resolution to utilize or not these outfits.222
(ii) Bhikṣācaryä (Going out on Begging Tour): The yathalandika group can live in the same village or town for one month. They have, however, to divide the place in six parts, called vithis (avenues), and spend five days in each part restricting their begging tour also to that avenue. In this way, they can spend the full month at one place. In case the village is not big enough, they can select five other nearby villages for the purpose of the monthly stay and begging rounds using one village as one vithi. In the rain-retreat, they can stay at one place for four months at a stretch.223
As regards their jurisdiction (uggaha), it is identical with that of the original stem in the case of the yathalandikas tied to the stem, there being no such restriction in the case of those not so tied.224
(iii) Māsakalpa (Conduct during Monthly Stay): During the rainretreat, they spent four months in a village or town, whereas at other times they could stay there only for one month.
But the special condition for the observers of the Time-bound Course was that they could not spend more than five days at a stretch in a particular part of the village called vithi.225 And this is the justification of the nomenclature yathālandika, meaning an observer of the five day course, as distinguished from the observers of
the other three courses.
As regards the jurisdiction, the same rule as mentioned under the bhikṣācarya will be applicable.
(iv) Numerical Strength Relating to Groups and Personnel: The following table gives the maximum and minimum number of practitioners groupwise and personwise in respect of the paḍivajjamāṇa and puvvapadivanna 226
Practi
tioners
3. Subse
1. Initial
Adoption 3 900 2. Old Practitioners Nil
quent Entrants (a) New (b) Old
Yathalandaka 75
No. of Groups each of 9.
Min. Max. Min
Nil Nil
Nil
Nil Nil
No. of
persons
15
Max.
1 Nil
4500
2 2 Koti Koti
100
Nil
In the Vijayodaya
Our account of the four monastic courses has been based mainly on the Brhatkal pa-Bhāṣya. There are, however, other similar courses which have not found place in our treatment. For instance, the twelve bhikṣu-pratimas also form an intensive course to be practised by a single monk, unlike the Elder's Course, or the Purificatory Cooperative Course, or the Time-bound Course. It is also distinct from the Victor's Course, as it consists of twelve definite stages, one following the other. There is no such gradation in the Victor's Course.
The different courses have found a lucid exposition in the Vijayodaya