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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S. B. DEO hibited the Ganga princes to eat honey and flesh, which were also deemed useless for monks.405
With royal patronage, we find kings granting lands for the feeding of Jaina monks and nuns (āhāra-dānakka).406
Various epigraphs refer to the effects of ahimsā as advocated by Jaina monachism on the society at large. We have instances right from Aśoka upto the Moghal emperors of Delhi, who in one way or the other, enforced a prohibition on animal slaughter. We have already noted Kumārapāla, king of Gujarat, prohibiting animal slaughter on certain days due to which the population of Gujarat, even upto the present day, is mainly vegetarian, STUDY:
The epigraphs are eloquent when they describe the debating power or the intellectual supremacy of Jaina monks. Even if we give up the metaphorical element in them, the studious habits of Jaina monks, their skill in debate, and their ease of convincing others are brought to light.
The following are some of the metaphorical expressions :
(i) Ajitasena was called the 'Vādibhakanthirava' (the lion to the elephants the disputants).407
(ii) śāntideva was designated Sabda-caturmukha'.408
(iii) Of Mahāmaņdalācārya Devakirti, it is said that he was "the poet, debator and orator, who is a fierce fire to the forest the maintainers of Kapila's doctrines, a submarine fire to the ocean the maintainers of the Chārvāka system, and a sun in dispelling the darkness of the staunch maintainers of the Bauddha faith”.409
(iv) Samantabhadra is termed "a lion among disputants”.410
(v) Māghanandin "was a fillet of brilliant gems to the forehead of Sarasvati".411
(vi) Abhayacandra Siddhānti is said to have "split the sky-touching mountains of evil creeds”.412 and (vii) Cărukirti was called "the emperor of the learned". 413
405. Ibid., VII, Sh. 4; Dānaśālās for Jaina monks: Ibid., V, 273 of 1673 A.D. 406. E.I., XVII, p. 122: 1047 A.D. 407. E.C., II, 67: 1129 A.D. 408. Ibid. 409. Ibid., 63 of 1163 A.D. 410. Ibid., 64. 411. Ibid. 412. Ibid., V, Bel. 133, of 1279 A.D. 413. ibid.. I, Cg. 10, of 1544 A.D.