Agam 30 Prakirnak 07 Gacchachar Sutra

Author(s): D S Baya
Publisher: Agam Ahimsa Samta Evam Prakrit Samsthan

Page 28

PREFACE : XXVII
disciples of a guru. Like this, slowly and gradually, the word Gaccha replaced the word Kula. Although the words Gana, Kula, , Śākha, and Anvaya remained in circulation upto the 8th, or the 9th century, the use of the word Gaccha became more widespread and the other words like Gana, Kula, Sakha, and Anvaya became obscure. Though these words are mentioned in the Pratisthā inscriptions even today, practically it is the word Gaccha that enjoys unchallenged currency.
Although the word Gaccha came to be used in the 6-7th century itself, its widespread use stated sometime around the 10th century only. Presently popular and current gacchas such as Vrhad Gaccha, Khartara Gaccha, Tapā Gaccha and Sandera Gaccha etc, came into being only around the 10th to 11" century.
In the work under consideration - Gacchācāra – we are being told mainly about the gains of staying in a good monastic group (Gaccha) and the harms of staying in a bad one. It also tells us about the characteristics of good and bad monastic groups. Herein, we are being told that the monastic group that keeps proper control over the activities of its monks and nuns is a good monastic group and, on the contrary, the monastic group that fails to maintain such a control is a bad monastic group. Also, that a good monastic group is the only one that is worthy of being lived in by the good monks and nuns desiring self-emancipation. This work also deals, at length, about the conduct of the monks and nuns of the good monastic groups. In this context it also roundly criticises the conduct of lax and wilful Ācāryas. It is a fact that Lord Mahāvīra had prescribed a very stringent code of conduct for the monks and the nuns of his religious order but with the passage of time, the tendencies of laxity and love for comfort gradually deveioped. However, the more vigilant amongst the Ācāryas opposed these lax and comfort-loving tendencies from time to time