Sramana 1996 01

SR No.: 525025
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Ashok Kumar Singh
Publisher: Parshvanath Vidhyashram Varanasi
Publication Year: 1996
Total Pages: 122
Language: Hindi
Classification: Magazine, India_Sramana, & India
File Size: 6 MB

Page 106

Yapaniya Sect: An Introduction : १०५
because being infirm conduct they are only shaven headed. But this explanation failed to throw any light on Botika, rather, indicated their conduct only.
In my opinion the Prakṛta term would have been Vadiya, instead of Bodiya, its Samskṛta form being Vatika i. e. one residing in enclousers or gardens. It is evident from Śivabhuti episode, occurred in Viseṣāvasyaka Bhāṣya that Botikas were nude mendicants and they scarcely entered the village or town for begging alms etc. They, as a rule, dwelled in the enclosures or gardens in outskirts of town.18
In all probability, their nomenclature would have been Vadiya or Badiya and in due course Väḍiya became Bodiya. Vesavāḍiya (Vaisyavātikā), Uduvadiya (Rtuvātikā) etc." Ganas figured in Kalpasutra. As Svetapata (Samskṛta) transformed into Präkṛta as Setapata> Seapada Seaado, in the same way Vatika ( Samskṛta) changed as Vadiya > Badiya > Bodiya. Today also, in Malavä region garden is called bāḍī. There is a term boḍā in Mālavi and Gujarātī dialect, meaning shaven headed. In the light of this, it can be inferred that Botikas also with plucked hair, were called Bodiya. However, the preceding description of transformation of word are my own and scholars and linguistics are expected to throw light on the above discussion.
Prof. M. A. Dhaky offers a different explanation of the term Botika. He pointed out that 'botaum' is current in Gujarati for corrupt or defiled.20 Probably, this term of regional dialect would have retained its old meaning. It seems, due to sectarian bias, Švetambaras called them Bodiya, in the sense of corrupt or defiled, because Śvetāmbaras used several disdainful words, viz., Mithyādṛsti, Prabhütatara Visaṁvādi, Sarvavisam vādi and Sarvāpalāpī for Botikas." In Bhojapuri and Avadhi dialect the term Borana or Budānā is current for drowning. Its suggestive meaning may be degraded or deteriorated.
篝
In this regard, the explanation of Prof. Dhaky is more appropriate as it proves the word Yapaniya and Botika as synonym. To put it more clearly, Yapaniya means disdained or expelled and Botika means corrupt or degraded, thus both are naturally synonyms. But the fact that they were branded Botikas or Yapaniyas, owing to sectarian bias, should not be overlooked. They were called Bodiya (Boțika -corrupt ) and Yapaniya (disregarded or expelled), respectively by Svetambara and Digambaras. The term Botika occurred exclusively in the canonical comFor Private & Personal Use Only