Madhya Asia aur Punjab me Jain Dharm

SR No.: 003165
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Hiralal Duggad
Publisher: Jain Prachin Sahitya Prakashan Mandir Delhi
Publication Year: 1979
Total Pages: 658
Language: Hindi
Classification: Book_Devnagari
File Size: 23 MB

Page 342

मुग़ल सम्राटों पर जैनधर्म का प्रभाव -
They live in poverty, receiving in alms what the given has in excess of his wants for food. They have no wives. They have (the teaching of) their teaching sect written in the script of Gujrat (nagrilipi). They drink warm water, not from fear of catching cold, but because they say that water has a Soul, and that drinking it without, heating it kills its Soul, which God created, and that is a great sin, but when heated, it has not a Soul. And for this reason they carry in their hands certain brushes, which with their handles look like pencils made of cotton (bambaca) and these they use to sweep the floor or pavement whereon they walk, so that it may not happen that the Soul (anima) of any worm be killed. I saw their prior and superior (maggiore) frequently sweep the place before sitting down by reason of that scruple. Their chief Prelate or Supreme Lord may have about 100,000 men under obedience to him, and every year one of them is elected. I saw among them boys of eight or nine years of age, who looked like Angels. They seem to be men, not of India, but of Europe. At that age they are dedicated by their fathers to this Religion.
They hold that the world was created millions of millions ago, and during that space of time God has sent twenty three Apostles, and that now in this last age, he sent another one, making twenty-four in all, which must have happened about two thousand years ago, and from that time to this they possess scriptures which the other (Apostles] did not compose.
Father Xavier and I discoursed about that saying to them, this one (questo) [Seil apparently the last Apostle] concerned their Salvation.
The Babansa aforesaid being interpreter, they said us, as we shall talk about that another time, but we never returned there although they pressed us earnestly, because we departed the next day."
अर्थात्-पादरियों के अनुकूल खंभात शहर के धनाढ्य उमराव बाबनसा (बाबनशाह) के साथ हुई बातचीत को पादरी नीचे लिखे अनुसार लिखता है
वह 'वती' के नाम से पहचाने जानेवाले मनुष्यों का कट्टर शत्रु है, उन व्रतियों के विषय में मैं किंचित लिखता हूं।
व्रती लोग साधुनों के समुदाय में रहते हैं और जब मैं उन के स्थान (खंभात) में गया तब उन में से लगभग पचास व्यक्ति वहाँ थे । वे अमुक प्रकार के श्वेतवस्त्र पहनते हैं, वे 1. पेरुशी के पृष्ठ ५२ में से किया हुआ अनुवाद । यह जिकर मेंकलेग ने भी अपने लेख के पृष्ठ ६५ में किया है। 2. बाबनसा, यह पारसी गृहस्य का नाम है उस का शुद्ध नाम बहमनशा होगा ऐसा ज्ञात होता है । उस समय ___ में खंभात में पारसी गृहस्थ रहते थे। 3. श्वेतवस्त्र पहनने वाले साधु श्वेतांबर मूर्तिपूजक साधु थे और आज भी हैं। ढूढिये साधु
चौबीस घंटे अपने मुह पर एक कपड़ा (मुखवस्त्रका) बांधे रहते हैं इस मत का प्रादुर्भाव नि० सं० १७०६ में लवजी नाम के साधू से हुमा था । शुद्ध पाचार वालों की पहचान के लिये । इसी वर्ष श्वेतांबर साधुनों में पीली चादर का भी प्रचलन हुआ।