Jaina Monastic Jurisprudence

SR No.: 001621
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Shantaram Balchandra Dev
Publisher: ZZZ Unknown
Publication Year: 1960
Total Pages: 108
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Ritual_text, Philosophy, Ritual, & Religion
File Size: 5 MB

Page 41

JAINA MONASTIC JURISPRUDENCE
23 to others both in age as well as in standing as a monk. This seniority of standing as a monk was expressed by the term 'paryāya'. Another expression denoting the senior monk was 'rāinīya'. The commentator to the Thānangasutta explains the term 'rāinīya' as-' Trifer praat het :
for gf frei: qu14 : sfa' (p. 240a). Thus seniosity seems to have depended mostly on the scholarship and self-control or the proper following of discipline. From this point of view, a monk of less standing was designated as 'omaräinīya', whereas one with a greater standing or seniority was termed 'ahārāiņīya'.
That there was a clearcut evaluation of and differentiation between age and standing is further corroborated by the terms jaithera' and 'pariyāya thera', the former denoting a monk of the age of sixty and the latter a monk of twenty years' standing in monkhood. Besides these two important categories, other theras are also referred to. These include the kula-thera, gana-thera, samgha-thera and the suya-thera. The first three were those who were in charge of the management of either a kula or a gana or a samgha, while the suya-thera was one who was wellversed in the texts like the Samavāyangasutta, etc. (Thāņ., p. 516a).
These texts by themselves are silent about the qualifications and differentiation between these categories of a thera. However, the commentaries explain the various categories, and that too briefly. As the case stands, therefore, we are not in a position to state the inter-relation between these various types of theras nor are we certain about the nature of duties assigned to them. Whatever they might have been, the juniors were asked to show complete regard to the theras. (Samavāyanga, p. 59ab).
The next officer was the uvajjhāya. His chief duty was to give proper reading of the sūtra to the junior monks. ( 59aod'EriSRITETUT: 1 Than., p. 140a). It is evident that such a person was expected to be well-versed in sacred texts. However, no details regarding him, his qualifica. tions and his exact relative position in the hierarchy are