Some Aspects of Jainism in Eastern India

SR No.: 006725
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Pranabananda Jash
Publisher: Munshiram Manoharlal Publisher's Pvt Ltd New Delhi
Publication Year: 1989
Total Pages: 170
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 15 MB

Page 88

Some Aspects of Jainism in Eastern India
Kundakunda, “Women are forbidden from accepting severe types of asce ticism, such as, nakedness because they are constitutionally unfit: there is a growth of subtle living beings in their organ of generation, between their breasts, in their navel and armpits, their mind is fickle and devoid of purity, they have monthly courses and they cannot concentrate undisturbed."'74 The Jaina teacher of this sub-sect, thus, prescribes for nuns some ascetic emblems which were more moderate and less rigorous than that prescribed for monks.75 Women were allowed to be a member of the order but they could not get liberation in that birth." The begging bowl was another article about which ascetic prac
varied; even in case of the Jaina monks we meet several types of bowls for different monks and nuns, Bowls of bottle-gourd, or wood, or clay were permitted." A young, strong and healthy monk might take only one bowl. According to the commentary this rule applied to the Jinakalpikas etc. while ordinary monks could have a drinking vessel besides the alms bowl.78 The Jaina texts? mention the following fourteen requisites, essential and occasional, the number of which was determined by the rank of the monks. In other words, the first twelve are meant for the Jinakalpikas while the entire requisites are allotted to the Sthāvirakalpikas: (1) Pațța (bowl). (2) Pattābandha (thread), (3) Pāyatthavana (base), (4) Pāya-kesari yă (dust-cleaner), (5) Padalāim (Pat-covers), (6) Ravattānam (dust wiper), (7) Gucchão (dust-brush), (8) Paccāgā (three cloths), (9) Rayaharaṇam (broom), (10) Muhapatti (mouthpiece), (11) Mattaga (earthen pot), and (1?) Colapasta (the loin-cloth). The Jaina manual prescribes "clothes, aims-bowls, blankets, brooms, property meaning uvagraha property, e.g., the ground which the house-holder allows the mendicant who stavs in his house and straw-mats80 as the necessaries of a monk.
The Sixfold Monastic Orders
In terms of spiritual evolution, the Jaina ascetics attained diffe. rent stages before they finally attain mokşa. These are the stages of the ācārya, upadhyāya, sādhu, tirthankara or arhanta and the siddha. These five grades together with the primary stage of the Muni, are known as the sixfold monastic order of Jainism. The Jaina scriptures. viz., the Thāṇānga, the Vyavahāru, Avaśyakanir yukri etc., afford us valuable information about the nature and activities of the Jaina hierarchy. An attempt has been