Cultural Study of Nisitha Curni

SR No.: 001743
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Madhu Sen
Publisher: Sohanlal Jain Dharm Pracharak Samiti Amrutsar
Publication Year: 1975
Total Pages: 432
Language: English, Prakrit
Classification: Book_English, Agam, Canon, & Literature
File Size: 23 MB

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A CULTURAL STUDY OF THE NISITHA CURNI
Teachers and Their Qualifications
Acārya ( ayariya ) was the senior-inost authority in the Church and he was assisted by Upadhyāya ( uvajjhaya ) in his work of education of the monks. He alone had the right to initiate the monks and was ultimately responsible for their maintenance of the code of conduct. Since the Ācārya beld the highest office of the church, it demanded an ideal display of conduct. A standard of progress achieved in the spiritual field was a necessary must and caste or age was of no significance. Contrary to the Brāhmanic injunctions we here find a conglomeration of teachers belonging to the lower catses (jatihina )2 which sometimes resulted in the concealment of the names of such teachers by their ungrateful disciples. 8 Such disciples are mentioned as unworthy of being taught and are supposed to be divested of achieving higher bliss in the present life or the ones to come. Even a king was to offer due regards to a teacher of the low caste if he desired to learn from him. 5
To be fit for the position of an Ācārya, a monk was judged by his spiritual progress or the spiritual age. Physical or material age was insignificant. The old monks (pariņayavaya) are sometimes seen as accepting the discipleship of the young Acāryas (taruņayariya) who might be of the age of their sons or grandsons (putta-nattua-samana). These young Acāryas were
1. 34feitasata gfaET FEAT HTETI -NC. 3, p. 35. 2. rafizi agresit afatit-NC. 3, p. 4.
a haf i sagtuite--NC. 3, p. 2. 3. aut et FRA HTTÈ FACT # 21...
vaig ar ETOATT I zyat an Dougla - NC. 1, p. 12. 4. armurette for at EARSTE at uifTFICATOR_Ibid. 5. Ibid. 6. Fifa het aftur a31 TF filtà qoftaal 3TOŪur Houfa_-"TETT
एस तव गुरु तुमं च परिणयवओ, णेस आयरिय सीससंजोगो जुज्जति, कहं पुत्त-णत्तुअ. HATUFE E faraf ?-NC. 3, p. 35.