Vikram Journal 1974 05 11

SR No.: 523101
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Rammurti Tripathi
Publisher: Vikram University Ujjain
Publication Year: 1974
Total Pages: 200
Language: Hindi, English
Classification: Magazine, India_Vikram Journal, & India
File Size: 11 MB

Page 110

the Vikram Vol. XVIII No. 2 & 4, 1974
JAINA MONACHISM
Dr. Moban Lal Mehta Director, P. V. Research Institute
Varanasi-5
Jainism is mainly an ethical system and monachism is its very foundation. One cannot think of Jainism without Jaina monachism or asceticism. The Great Jaina Mahavira and his preceding Tirthankars were ideal monks and ascetics first and then preachers and preceptors. Lord Mahavira was not the founder of a new doctrine but the reformer of an ascetic religion alr:ady in existence He practised and preached the old Nirgrantha Dharma. The Digha-nikaya (Samannaphala-sutta) and the Uttaradhyayna-Sutra (ch. 23) refer to the four vows (Caturyama) of that Nirgrahtha Dharma. Lord Parsva, who preceded Lord Mahavira by 250 years, had preached the Fourfold Law (Caturyama Dharma). Mahavira adopted the same but added one more vow to it and preached the Fivefold Law (Pancavrata Dharma). The four vows preached by Parsva were : not to kill, not to lie, not to steal and not to own property. The Vow of celibacy was, no doubt, implicitly included in the last vow, but in the 250 years that elapsed between the death of Parsva and the preaching of Mahavira, abuses became so abundant that the latter had to add the vow of celibacy explicitly to the existing four vows. Thus, the number of vows preached by Mahavira became five in place of four.
Another important difference between the monks of Parsva and Mahavira was with regard to clothes. It seems that Parsva h his monks to wear an under as well as and an upper garment, but Mahavira originally forbade the use of clothes for his monks. When Kesin and his disciples belonging to the tradition of Parsva adopted the Law of five vows preached by Mahavira, they were, however, permitted to continue to wear clothes, that is, they adopted the modified Law without abandoning clothes (Uttaradhyayana-sutra, ch. 23). Thus, Mahavira's composite Church had both types of monks : with clothes (Sacelaka) and without clothes (Acelaka). The former is known as Svetambara and the latter as Digambara. The monks belonging to the Svetambara group wear white garments, whereas those belonging to the Digambara group wear no garments. The literal meaning of the term Svetambara is white-clad and that of Digambara is sky-clad. There is no such distinction among nuns. They all wear white garments. Monastic Vows :
Vedic religions divide society into four classes : Brahamanas, Ksatriyas, Vaisyas and Sudras. The basis of this classification is birth. The four classes recognised by Jainism are of a different sort. Their basis is not birth but conduct. They are known as Sramanas (monks), Sramanis (nups), Sravakas (layment) and Sravikas (laywomen). Jainism gives full freedom to all human beings to observe vows. It provides equal opportunity to all persons to practise self-discipline according to their capacity. The observers of vows are divided into two broad cotegories : ascetics and lay-votaries. The ascetic is variously known as Sramana, Bhiksu, Nirgrantha, Muni, Sadhu, Yati, Anagara, Mahavratin, Sarvavirata etc. The lay-votary is differently designated as Sravaka, Upasaka, Sagara Anuvratin