Jain Journal 2005 04

SR No.: 520158
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication
Publication Year: 2005
Total Pages: 58
Language: English
Classification: Magazine, India_Jain Journal, & India
File Size: 3 MB

Page 31

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JAIN JOURNAL : VOL-XXXIX, NO. 4 APRIL. 2005
organisation, two were very serious. One was the adoption of an innovation in the form of wearing white robes' and the other was the neglect of regular recital of the holy scriptures - a must for the Jaina monks. Consequently, the holy seriptures, retained in memory from the time of the foundation of the religious order, were threatened with the danger of being totally lost.23
After the famine was over, Bhadrabāhu returned to Magadha with some of his disciples. But he was distressed to see the lax practices which had crept into the monastic organisation and in no time quarrels and acrimonies broke out between the two groups of monks - one that had returned from the south and the other that stayed at home. In order to prevent the total loss of holy scriptures a synod was convoked by Sthūlabhadra at Pāțalīputra which was not attended by the recluses who had returned from the south. Henceforth the divergence in views and practices of the two sections of the church continued to be more and more accentuated. Being frightened by the ever-widening chasm between the two parties of the monks, Bhadrabāhu retired from active participation in the affairs of the church and his more pushing disciple Sthulabhadra shouldered the responsibility of leading the Samgha. After the death of Bhadrabāhu in circa B.C. 297, Sthulabhadra was made the formal “Head of the Nirgrantha religious order” which position he retained till his death in circa B.C. 252.24
During his patriarchate, as was expected the adherents of the "whiterobes” got the upper hand in the church and various other laxities (probably relating to physical cleanliness, modes of partaking of food, alms-begging) that had already, entered into the church got congenial ground for further development. Mahāgiri, the next patriarch is said to have revived the ideal practice of nakedness. But his endevour to purge the church of the prevailing abuses ended in dismal failure,
23. Mrs. Stevenson - Heart of Jainism. 24. Mrs. Stevenson - Heart of Jainism p. 73