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Dr. Hoernle's Letters
more cased to play the part of priests. They are now found engaging in banking and commercial adventures, or acting as quack doctors and necromancers. They thus amass large fortunes, wear long oiled and scented hair, and flowing dresses of the finest white muslin, and many among them live in almost unconocaled (? unconcealed ?) concubinage in defiance of the rules of their order."
IV “As a natural recoil from the state of things a very strict religious order called Dhundias has arisen as rivals of the Jatis. These have in great measure usurped the place in public estimation of their less rigorously ascetic brethren. They practise the most rigid asceticism, never wash their persons or clothes, wear dirty rags over their mouths
prevent insects from being injured, and carry about with them cotton mops to sweep the ground. So far, do they carry their pretence of guarding life, that they will not drink water which has not first been boiled and strained. It can well be imagined that such being their personal habits, the odour of sanctity in which they live is far from being a pleasant one and makes their presence felt by one of the senses atleast, even when at a considerable distance off.”
Will you kindly read these passages to the Muni, & ask him to tell me whether they state the truth. It seems to me that they con.tain a good deal of misunderstanding, and of confusion of the Digambaras with the Svetambars. Please ask the Muni to give me a true account of the several points mentioned in the passages.
Is it true, that Brāhamans minister, and why do they do so ? Are there really 84 gachchhas ? If so, what are their names? Do they all still exist? The Muni told me that there were now only 5 gachchhas in existence:-Tapa, Kharatara, Páschand, Anchaliya & Uvakesha. Do the Svetambara Sadhu ever lay aside their clothes entirely and be naked ? Are the Muni and his disciples called Jatis or Sadhus ? What is the difference between these two forms? Have the Jatis really become so degenerate ? If so, to which Gachchhas do these degenerate Jatis belong ? Who are the Dhundiyas ? Are they Svetambara or Digambara? To which Gachchha do they belong ?
Yours truly, A. F. Rudolf Hoernle.
.; 138:
[ Shree Atmaramji
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