Jains Today in World

SR No.: 001794
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Pirre Paul AMIEL
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith
Publication Year: 2008
Total Pages: 360
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, History, Religion, E000, & E005
File Size: 24 MB

Page 258

Their Ascetics : 213
If a monk leads an exemplary life and has great knowledge of the sacred Jain scriptures, he may, after a certain time be initiated as “Yuvācārya" i.e. “Vice-ācārya” or directly as “Ācārya”. Exceptionally, the former great “Terapanthi" leader, Acharya Tulsi, received his title when he was only 22. The consecrations of a “Yuvācārya" and of an “Ācārya" constitute very important and solemn Jain religious events. For the Švetāmbara, these titles are only given to monks who have been in the order for a minimum of eight years, who have scrupulously studied the sacred books, especially the third and the fourth “Anga" and other religions as well, and who have distinguished themselves from the other monks by their conduct and piety. The same goes for the Digambara order. The cerer comparable to the consecration of a King in older times in India, because an "Ācārya" is regarded as a successor of the “Ganadhara" the Mahāvīra's chief-disciples. For that reason, the "Sūrimantra” is imparted to each “Ācārya" during the ceremony. According to Jain tradition, it is the sacred formula taught by Mahāvīra to Indrabhūti Gautama and to his ten other chief-disciples.
After his consecration, a Jain “ Acārya" becomes a religious leader and a spiritual master. He is the object of a great esteem. He receives, in particular, the respectful greetings from the ascetics and the laity as part of their daily duties and he has numerous religious powers, like to a or reject candidates for "dīksā”, to confess heavy transgressions of the ascetics of his group, to decide of their penances and even their exclusion. An “Ācārya" is required to study and explain sacred texts, convey his teachings to other ascetics and to the laity, give instructions to the "guru" and "guruņi" on the training of novices, decide destinations of monks and nuns of his group for their wanderings after monsoon and their place of stay during it, set the first stone of a new temple, to oversee its consecration, install statues in it, preside various religious ceremonies, perform various rites like those of "dīksā," attend various religious meetings of adepts, represent Jain community at interfaith assemblies, bless adepts, and so on.
Śvetāmbara Terāpanthi have only one “Acharya" at the head of their branch, of which they follow instructions and directives. He