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 452

HISTORY OF JAINA MONACHISM
447 seven times. The last, however, sent him back to the first ācārya, and the transgressor then carried out the prāyaścitta as prescribed by his original ācārya. (iii) Pārañcika :
If a monk condemned the Tirthankaras, ganadharas, ganins, the sacred lore, or the sangha, or behaved against the king, or initiated his ministers, or enjoyed royal ladies, then such a monk was expelled in the meeting of the sangha where he was declared an unfit and sinful person. The punished went to another country and practised the prāyaścitta as given by the ganins,313 (d) Śraddhāna :
This was also termed 'upasthāpana',314 and consisted of re-initiation (dikşāgrahaņa) of one who had taken to wrong or heretical faith. In this case, such a person was disowned as a Jaina monk, and hence he had to seek initiation again. This was prescribed even in the case of the violation of the 'mülavratas' (principal vows).
Schisms and Subsects :
Medieval Digambara Jaina literature gives ample proof of the fact that the Church was divided into 'sanghas' and 'anvayas' the distinctions primarily originating from the ascetic community. But no further details are available regarding their details.
But besides these groups, the noteworthy feature is the presence of different sects in the Digambara Church itself. The following are some of the sects which are mentioned : 315
(i) Yăpaniya, (ii) Kūrchaka,
Terapanthi, (iv) Bispanthi, (v) Sāmāïyapanthī,
(vi) Gumānpanthi, and (vii) Totāpanthi.
It is very difficult to get details about these, as their texts, if any, are mostly unknown. The following are the characteristics of some of these :
(iii)
Terapa
313. Ibid. comm. pp. 506-07: The meaning of each item is not clear. 314. Ibid. 7, 57: Comm. p. 507.
315. See, NAHAR and GHOSH, Epitome of Jainism Chapt. XXXVII; GLASENAPP, Der Jainismus, (Guj. transl.), pp. 351ff.