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

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HISTORY OF JAINA MONACHISM
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All these activities involved hiṁsā and trouble to living beings and hence a monk was not allowed to accept food from
the people who did these things. (34) Dadati (dinti) : 'One who gives food owned by many persons
without consulting them'. In this case such offers were likely to lead to quarrels and the servants or the daughters-in-law were likely to be beaten by their masters or mothers-in-law
respectively. (35) Caurita (coriya): Monks were forbidden to accept anything
from a thief who usually stole something of others. (36) Prābhrtikām sthāpayanti (pāhudiyam thavanti): 'A lady giving
food out of that which was prepared for the purpose of sacri
fice (bali)'. (37) Sapratyapāyā dadati (sapaccavāyā dalantī): 'One who gave food
after deliberately injuring the living beings'. (38) Uddiśya dadati (uddissa dalanti): 'One who gave food prepared
for a particular type of monks (aparasādhukārpaţikaprabhịtini
mittaṁ) (39) Abhogam dadati (ābhogam dalanti): 'Who deliberately gave food
unfit for the monk'. (40) Anābhogam dadati (anābhogam dalanti): 'Who inadvertantly
gave impure food to the monks'. A survey of this list of unfit donors would reveal that considerations of ahimsā, purity and social psychology were taken into account in forming these rules. The stories given in illustration of the rules, though perhaps imaginary or exaggerated to some extent, reveal a fine sense of avoiding public condemnation and the foresight of blending religious practices with social etiquette. The severity of the practice of these rules, was, however, relaxed by furnishing reasonable exceptions to them.
The Mode of Eating:
The fundamental purpose of eating food was to maintain the perfect balance of the body in order to practise self-control. The monk did not eat for taste. For this purpose he avoided the 'samyojanā doşa' which was twofold. The 'samyojanā' or the mixing up of different kinds of food, was either 'bāhyā (external)' i.e. the mixing up of sweet things with other articles while on the begging tour in order to have a better taste afterwards, or it was ‘abhyantarā (internal)' i.e. mixing up different articles either in the BULL. DCRI.39