Book Title: Compendium of Jainism
Author(s): T K Tukol, A N Upadhye
Publisher: Prasaranga Karnatak University Dharwar

Previous | Next

Page 240
________________ 228 COMPENDIUM OF JAINISM rungs of the ladder (pratimās); 3) dātavya or dravya refers to pure food, medicine, books and protection (abhaya); 4) dānavidhi consists, according to the Digambaras, of nine elements : pratigraha or welcoming an ascetic on seeing him at a distance with the words : solutations to thee, kindly stop (namo stu tiştha); then offering him a seat of honour (ucca-sthana); washing his feet with reverence (carana kşālana); then worshipping him with flowers, waving of lanp and other articles of worship (arcaná); and then making him salutations (praņāma). The offering of food should then be made with purity of mind, speecli and body (triyogit- suddhi). The giver must be possessed of faitli, devotion, contentment, zeal, discrimination, disinterestedness and forbearance.14 The Svetāmbaras regard dāna as conditioned by five factors : deśa or place, meaning whether the place produces rice or wheat or other cereals or pulses; kāla, that is whether it is a period of famine or abundance; śraddiā; the giver must have purity of mind and faith: satkāra receiving the guest with due respect and attention; and Krama refers to serving of food in due order, rice or rice gruel is offered first.4. Apart from the four kinds of of offerings in vogue with the Digambara, the Svetāmbaras recognise the offer of clothes, blankets, alms howl, jugs etc. by approaching the ascetic at his lodging, inviting him to his louse, offering him a respectable seat and giving him food and drink. Samantabiadra mentions that the fruits of dâna 10 un ascetic consist in the purging of the karmas and birth in a noble family with wealth, heauty and prestige. The Svetāmbaras do not seem to regard this kind of reincarnation as having any special connection with dana. 4,0 Anitacandra is of opinion that gift of food brings about curtailment of greed and renunciation of himsā as greed itself is a form of himsā. How much of one's property should be devoted to dāna has been discussed by Devasena. According to him, the property should be divided into six parts, each part being appropriated for the dharma, upkeep of the family, for bhoga (luxuries), for Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

Loading...

Page Navigation
1 ... 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338 339 340 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 348 349 350 351 352