Aspects of Jaina Monasticism

Author(s): Nathmal Tatia, Mahendramuni
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati

Page 83

earthenware, and if underfed, would become too weak to carry them.51 Special care of health is prescribed for a monk above fifty-five, who may need special food to preserve his health. For the old and convalescing monks, suitable places (other than the place selected for the whole Order), in accordance with their convenience, were selected, and they were put in charge of an adept (gītārtha) monk. The convalescing monks were recalled after their full recovery which might take 5, 10 or 15 days.55
(x) Departure from Abode : While leaving the abode, proper permission of the house-owner was necessary; otherwise a light-monthly-penance (laghuka-mäsa) was to be observed as expiation.56 This permission was considered necessary as a popular custom and expression of gratitute. Departure from place without informing the owner might also entail suspicion in the mind of the house-owner and also the neighbours. Non-observance of such customary duties was calculated to have an adverse effect on the future of the Order. The departure of the Order should not be too abrupt to cause suspicion in the minds of the people of the place or any member of the house-owner's family. Nor should the date of departure be divulged in advance to prevent dislocation of the routine programme of the people and their indulgence in carnivals (pāhudia, Skt. prabhṛtikā) to celebrate the occasion.57
(xi) Procedure for Seeking Permission: In order that the depar
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ture did not appear too abrupt, it was necessary to keep the houseowner and the local people aware that the survey parties had been despatched and the Order was waiting for their report. The conditions favourable for departure should also be impressed upon them gradually, so that they might be psychologically prepared for the day of the farewell. And on the eve of the departure, the house-owner should be entertained with religious stories, which could result in his prayer for conferring ordination on him, or accepting him as a lay devotee partially observing the vows (anuvratin or deśa-virata), or his being confirmed in right faith (darśana-śrāddha) that is an equivalent of the fourth gunasthāna (avirata-samyagdṛṣṭi) or at least becoming an admirer of the Order, desirous of offering his services to it.
(xii) Time of Departure: As regards the exact hour of departure, it would depend on the distance to be covered. Ordinarily, the Order moves after the first two quarters of the day. But depending on the distance, the itinerary may start at the end of the first quarter or during the first quarter itself after inspection (pratilekhana) of the outfit, or immediately after or even before the sunrise,58 if the distance was too long, and the Order was likely to suffer from thirst, fatigue, and other privations. But if any particular monk, khagguda 'drowsy or sluggish or punctilious', was unwilling to violate the rule, he might be allowed to start