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A CULTURAL STUDY OF THE NISITHA CURNI
Vāda or Debates
The ability of a Jaina monk was tested in the active religious disputations or tournaments which were a constant feature of the literary life of the day. The highest aspiration of a monk was to be bestowed with the title of Vadian? which was bestowed on a monk who came out successfully in a literary affray where he was to defend his own religion from the active onslaughts of the rivals.2 1āda or debates were usually conducted before an assembly of the learned scholars ( Vadi-parişad ) and were presided over by the king or the Mahājanas of the state. A story narrated in the NC. mentions a Jaina monk to have defeated his Buddhist opponent in a literary affray held in the king's court.* Very often the contestants to these debates tried to influence the king or the state-authorities to gain their support. The Jaina monks while going for a contest in the Vādi-parişad were allowed to take bath and wear pure white clothes so as to keep up the prestige of their preceptor and faith. The individuals defeated in Vada were usually made to accept the discipleship of the rival victor, while the king mostly patronised the faith of the victor being influenced by his religious tenets.? Sometimes, however, the defeated monks accepted the discipleship of the rival with a view to grasp the inlets of his teachings (siddhanta-harana) and later defeated him in an open contest.8 The tradition of conducting the religious
1. Et rogiquot 3751311_NC. 1, p. 22. 2. Taifaut at af ara fa ŐNC. 3, p. 37. 3. जे तत्थ पंडिया वादिपरिसं च गेण्हति...ते रण्णो महाजणस्स वा पुरतो णिरुत्तरे करेति
NC. 4, p. 88. 4. NO. 3, p. 325. 5. NC. 2, p. 233. 6. वादिनो वादिपर्षदं गच्छतो-आचार्यस्य अतिशयमिति कृत्वा देसस्नानं सर्वस्नानं वा
NC. 2, p. 86. 7. NC. 3, p. 325. 8. In this context example is cited of the Govinda Vācaka or Govinda
Ajja, the famous author of Govindanijjutti, who after being defeated
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