History of Jaina Monachism

SR No.: 001727
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: S B Deo
Publisher: Deccan College Research Institute
Publication Year: 1956
Total Pages: 616
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Principle, & History
File Size: 12 MB

Page 306

HISTORY OF JAINA MONACHISM
301 Some of the corns were taken to be 'alepa' (dry). Yavāgū, kangū takra and kāñji were 'alepa', while milk, curds, preparations of milk, oil, ghee, molasses and dates were called 'bahulepa'.518 '(x) Chardita519 (Chaddiya):
Food given in a careless way so that some portion of it fell down on the earth while serving, was refused by the monk, because hot or cold food falling on the ground lead to injury to living beings.
Besides this reason, however, the Pindaniryukti gives a very interesting story about the consequences of such careless offering of food:
A certain Jaina monk, called Dharmaghoşa while on the begginground stopped at the house of the minister Vārattaka. The minister's wife came out with ghee, sugar and soup for the monk. But while she was coming, a drop of soup fell down on the ground, seeing which the monk did not accept the alms. The minister who was watching the scene from a distance could not understand the reason of the monk's return. He, therefore, decided to remain at a distance and watch further.
Now, it so happened, that flies settled upon the drop of sweet soup. Seeing the flies, spiders came there to eat the flies. To devour the spiders, a chameleon rushed in. A cat attacked the chameleon, and a dog seized the cat. Other dogs fell upon the dog and it led finally to the fight between the owners of the dogs.
Seeing this, the minister was enlightened and praised the foresight of the Jaina monk !
Unfit Donors:
Fundamentally the list of unfit donors as given both in the Ogha-, and the Pinda- niryuktis does not seem to differ from that given in the Dasavaikalika, as the principles underlying them were the generally accepted tenets of-'ahimsā', least dependence on society, and purity of food. Yet, the Niryuktis give exceptions to these rules and amplify old rules as would be clear from the following discussion.
The following persons were disqualified to offer alms to the monk : 520 (1) Bāla: 'Child below eight years'. The monk, however, was allowed
to accept alms from a child if the latter was supported by an
518. Ibid., 623-5. 519. Ibid., 627-28. 520. Ibid., 572-604.