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 The times improper for the study of the texts advocated by the ganadharas, the pratyekabuddhas, the śrutakevalins and the daśapūrvins were the same as those given in the Mülācāra 352
Chastened by such rules, the genius of Digambara writers flowered into a variety of literary accomplishments. Their associations, from early times, being in South India, they mastered the local languages like the Kannada,353 and Tamil,354 and contributed their mite in enriching the literature in these languages.
Added to this came the patronage of various royal dynasties who helped the Jaina scholars to keep up their literary traditions. Writers like Samantabhadra, Pūjyapāda, Akalanka, Jinasena, and Nemicandra Siddhānta Cakravartin came forward and contributed books on religion, philosophy, grammar and logic. It should be noted, however, that works even on medicines for sexual efficiency were also not left unwritten by some scholars, and it is said that Pujyapāda wrote a book called 'Madanakāmaratnam' which deals with medicines on sexual deficiencies.355
Royal patronage combined with a natural tendency for study resulted in the creation of a number of centres of education like Madurā and Kāñcī, along with the building up of Bhāndāras at Mūdabidure and at Sravana Belgoļā where valuable mss. were deposited. As in the case of northern India, in the south also, with the waves of Muslim aggression under Malik Kafur, Jaina monks faced hard days, added to which was the rivalry of numerous Brāhmanical sects, which possibly gave a temporary set-back to the studious habits of Jaina monks. MORAL DISCIPLINE :
The fundamentals of moral discipline consisting of the five vows, 356 'triratnas,'357 three 'guptis' and five 'samitis”,358 the 'parīşahas', 359 the 'anuprekşās',360 and the ten principal qualities of monkhood like forgiveness and others, 361 remained the same, and no basical change in the ideas about
352. Ibid. comm. p. 630. 353. See for details: JSB., Vol. III No. 3, pp. 117-128.
354. J. A., Vol. IV, No. 3, pp. 69-76; Vol. VII, No. 1, pp. 1-20: (Articles by A. CHAKRAVARTI: Jaina Literature in Tamil).
355. JSB., Vol. 12, No. 1, p. 34. 356. Angd. 4, 19. 357. Ibid. 6, 79. 358. Ibid. 4, 154ff., 163ff.; 7, 69; 6, 50: 56. 359. Ibid. 6, 83ff: various examples of those who put up with bodily troubles: 6, 111. 360. Ibid. 6, 57-82. 361. Ibid. 6, 2ff.