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

Page 345

RELIGION
325
faith of Jinas.1 It was from the time of Pajjusaņa that the monsoon retreat started for the monks.
During the Pajjusana days the Pajjosavaņ2-kappa was studied by the monks but its reciting aloud during the day time was not allowed to the monks. We are, however, told that in the central Caityagrha of Anandapura the Pajjosavaņdkappa was read out before all the people; it was, however, recited by a Pasattha, as the monks were usually not allowed to recite the same,s It can be thus deduced that the monks as well as laymen would bave tried to spend a greater portion of their time in the temples or Caityas during the days of the Pajjusana festival.
Atthahiya ( Aşxanhika )-Next in importance was Atthahiya, a festival so named because of the fact that it lasted for a period of eight days. This festival was believed to have been observed even by the gods in their heavenly abode.5 In the Paumacariya of Vimala Sūri the Aşçãnhika-parva (eight days festivity ) has been called as Nandiśvaramahotsavas and the celestial beings can be seen going to Nandīývaradvípa to celebrate the Aştanhika-parva.' The importance of this festival during these centuries is proved by an inscription of Caulukya ministers Tejapāla and Vastupāla, which gives a detailed information regarding the Aşçãnhika festival. In this particular case the festival was to start on the third day of the dark half of Caitra and to last for eight days. This festival is
1. NO. 3, p. 147. 2. NC. 3, p. 157. 3. जहा दिवसतो आणंदपुरे मूले चेतियघरे (पज्जोसवणाकप्पो ) सव्वजणसमक्खं
afferatlā, Jau la Argu ela, recent pieza–NC. 3, p. 158. 4. NO. 3, p. 81; Bih. V . 5, p. 1539. 5, 34001 ar valutarala 31Z GICHEAPOCA P. iar fifa—NC. 3, p. 141. 6. Paumacariya, 66. 14. 7. Ibid., 15. 30. See also-Chandra, K. R., A Critical Study of Pauma
cariya ( unpublished thesis ), p. 594. 8. EI. VIII, F. 200 ( Ins. No, 2).