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HISTORY OF JAINA MONACHISM
143 The Church Hierarchy:
The person entering the order was introduced as a 'seha' (disciple), and was kept on probation either for six months, or four months, or for a week.11 During this period his sole duty was to master the tenets of monk life, the proper execution of which made him fit for confirmation (uvatthāvanā).12
The confirmation made him a regular member of the order and from this stage as a seha or antevāsī,13 he aspired to rise higher in the church hierarchy. (a) Seha, Antevāsi, Sāmanera:
Four types of antevāsīs are referred to in the Sthānanga.14 They are (1) pavvāyaṇantevāsī nāmam ege, no uvaţthāvanantevāsī-he who has
been initiated by a particular ācārya but not confirmed by him; (2) one who has been confirmed by an ācārya but not initiated by the
same ācārya; (3) one who has been initiated as well as confirmed by the same
ācārya; and (4) dhammantevāsi-one who has become the disciple of a particular
lācārya purely for religious instructions.
The antevāsin had to show implicit faith in, and perfect obedience to, the ācārya.
(b) Thera:
As the very designation suggests, the thera was a person elder not, only in age but also in 'paryāya' (standing as a monk). This paryāya was also expressed by terms like 'ahārāiniya'15 and 'omaráīņïya. The former was applied to a person of greater standing, and the latter to a monk who occupied a junior position in the group.16
11. Thăm, p. 129b; 12. Ibid. p. 240a.
13. Näyā. p. 163; The Thān. comm. p. 242b explains it as 'guroh samīpe vasturn silamasyāntevāsi'.
14. p. 240a; The śrāmanera is referred to in Skty. 1, 4, 2, 13 (p. 277); Seha and Antevāsī in Bhag. pp. 11a, 382a.
15. Acar. II, 3, 3.5 (p. 146) ; Thän. p. 240a; The term 'rāīniya' has been explained by Than. comm. as ratnāni bhāvato jñānädīni taih vyavaharati iti rātnikah paryāyajyeşthaḥ iti'. See also Dáv. 8, 41; 9, iii, 3; Nāyā. p. 34.
16. Thera mentioned in Acar. II, 1, 10, 1 (p. 113); Uttar. 27, 1; Dsv. 8, 33; Dźv. Cū. 1, v. 9; Anttr. p. 58; Antg. p. 31; Vivaga.. pp. 26, 77; Bhag, p. 382a.
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