________________
Four Old Chedasūtras
(7) cheda (8) müla (9) anavasthapya (10) pārāñcika
As can be seen, the item3 4-6 of this list are not recognized as such in the Chedasūtra tradition, but the case is somewhat different for the first three items. For even Kalpa and Vyavabāra speak of a set of activities that are supposed to procede the act of underaking atonement. Kalpa 4.25 giyes it in full and its first two items are alocana and pratikramana which roughly mean “repeating' and 'repenting' respectively; as for its remaining items their net meaning might be taken to be 'making a resolve not to repeat the offence concern:d'. So the items 1 and 2 of the Jitakalpa list are somehow recognized in the Chedasūtra trardition while the third item of this list is a mere combination of the first two and is virtually reduodant (for a case of pratikramana must necesssarily be a case of both alocana and pratikraniana ). Even so, the discrepancy obtaining on this question between the Chedasūtra tradition and Jitakalpa is remarkable. (The Jitakalpa list also somewhat differs from the corresponding list given in Tattvārthasūtra 9. 22. The first seven items are common to both lists but in place of the last three of the four the latter has two - viz. parihāra and upasthāpana,) It seems that several iadependent groups of Jaioa theoreticians were working on the problem of atonement and that they felt no particular need to make their findings tally with one another. In his introduction to his edition of Kalpasutra (published in 1905, pp. 12-15) Schubring explains the 10 items of the Jitakalpa list and concludes his enquiry by asking as to what use is made of these items by the Cheda-texts. His answer to his own question amounts to saying: 'Practically nil, virtually uscless being the first five items - in particular, the items 3-5 which are mentioned never. The supposition might be ventured that this list has only a scholasticschematic, and no practical significance.
Lastly, let us also enter into some details of the social problems taken up in Chedasūtras. As bas already been noted, none of these texts presents its subject-matter in a systematic forn - so that in each it is found that one and the same topic is treated over and over again. Even so, it should not be difficult to make out as to what questions are uppermost in the minds of authors of these texts. For example, it might legitimately be said that the most important question considered in these texts is as to what is the proper method for a monk to procure things needed by bim- first of all food, then shelter, then clothes, and so on and so forth. As regards food four points have received much emphasis - viz. (1) that it should not have been provided by one who has also provided shelter (e: g. Kalpa 2. 13-28)
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
