________________
PREFACE : XXXIX
immediate (spiritual) death and he never becomes free from the cycle of births and deaths. Therefore, a spiritual aspirant must shun the company of the canon-ignorant and corrupt monks, body, mind and spuit, and must consider them as hindrances in the attainment of the ultimate goal of spiritual emancipation. (44–49)
According to this work, a humble disciple respectfully obeys the commands of his elders and patiently overcomes the hardships of monastic life. He is not given to pride, greed, vanity and argument and is forgiving, sense-controlled, protector of the self and the others, engrossed in the path of renunciation, a steadfast observer of the tenfold monastic routine and is always restrainedly engaged in performing his essential monastic activities. (50-53)
Enumerating the characteristics of a true Gaccha this work says that it is such a monastic group in which even if the guru expels the disciples with very angry, hard, unforgiving and merciless word, they do not resort to animosity, condemnation, defamation, deplorable activities, criticism of the Jina-precepts, but obey the hard and bitter commands of the guru with the utterance *Taha tti (It is so, Venerable master !)'. (54–56)
Praising the humble disciple it has been said that he is not only not attached to his clothes, pots and other monastic equipage but to his own body as well. He accepts and eats pure and flawless food not for, taste, nor for enhancing his bodily prowess nor for enhancing his appearance and nor for satisfying his ego but only for the preservation of his body as a means of performing his monastic duties. (57–59).
Following the style of the fifth primary canon - Vyākhyāprajñapti, in the present work also, the author addresses Gautama
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
