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PREFACE : XXI
being included amongst the Prakīrnakas
Gacchācāra Prakīrņaka -
Gacchācāra Prakīrnaka is a poetical composition composed in the Prākrta language. The word, 'Gacchācāra' is a composite of the two separate words - 'Gaccha' and 'ācāra'. In order to undertake a proper study of the present work – 'Gacchăcāra' we will have to consider the history of the word "Gaccha'. Although, at present, the Jaina monastic orders are divided into various Gacchas such as Karatara Gaccha, Tapa Gaccha, Pāyacanda Gaccha, etc, this style of classifying the monastic order into Gacchas is not very ancient. In the ancient times the monastic order used to be organised into various Ganas.
In the Samavāyārgasūtra we find the mention of the following nine Ganas of the monastic order of Lord Mahāvīra.
Godāsa gana, (tarabalissaha gana, Uddeha Gana, Carana Gana, Uddakāiya Gana, Vissavāiya Gana, Kāmardhi Gana, Mānava Gana and Kotika Gana."
In the roll of heads of monastic groups (Sthavirāvalī), in the Kalpasūtra, there is not only a mention of these Ganas but also the description of further divisions of these Ganas into
Samavāyāngasūtra, Muni Madhukara, Śrī Āgama Prakāśan Samiti, Beawar, Ed. I, 1981, sūtra 9/29.
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