Sramana 1996 04

SR No.: 525026
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Ashok Kumar Singh
Publisher: Parshvanath Vidhyashram Varanasi
Publication Year: 1996
Total Pages: 130
Language: Hindi
Classification: Magazine, India_Sramana, & India
File Size: 6 MB

Page 73

श्रमण/अप्रैल-जून/ १९९६
session being the root of a number of defilements, such as passions, attachments etc. was useless. He further argued that canons advocated non-possessions, the seer (Jinendra) himself was nonclothed ( acela ), hence nudity ( acelakatā) is superior. Refuting this, Acārya sarcastically maintained that the body also being the cause of passions, attachments etc., it must be got rid of. Acārya further argued that non-possession, preached in canons, meant only non-attachment in religious articles. Jinas, possessing piece of cloth (Devadūṣya), at the time of their initiation, were themselves not naked in the absolute sense of the term. These arguments of Aryakṛṣṇa could not deter him and more so, the rise of karman caused him to abandon clothes and he ultimately parted company with the Sangha.
७२
:
Later on, when Śivabhuti's sister Uttara came to pay homage to him, followed him and turned non-clothed. When Uttara went to the town to receive alms etc. a prostitute, claiming that her (Uttara's) nudity would cause detachment among people towards them (prostitutes) or in other words, the people would not be attracted towards them, tied a piece of cloth over her (Uttara's ) breasts. Śivabhūti, also prevailed upon unwilling Uttara to wear clothes as bestowed upon by gods. Śivabhūti had two disciples : Kaudinya and Kotyavira, through whom his tradition flourished onward.'
Ardhamāgadhi, Jaina canons, as well as sculptures and inscriptions of Mathura, corroborated the use of piece of cloth by monks to cover their nudity during the time of Aryakṛṣṇa.2 Probably, it was on this point, i. e., the use of clothes, that Śivabhūti dissented from Aryakṛṣṇa, as depicted in the preceding episode. As regards the other facts, contained in the story, it was only natural that in tune with the action of Śivabhūti, his sister Uttara alongwith other nuns, adopted nudity. But Śivabhūti, taking into account the impropriety of the nudity of nuns, persuaded them to put on a piece of cloth as god-gifted, on the line of Tīrthankaras possessing For Private & Personal Use Only