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HISTORY OF JAINA MONACHISM
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Sāmāyārī:
Sāmācāri was the correct mode of behaviour by the monks under ten categories. They were371 : (1) āvaśyaka, it was done when the monk wanted to leave a place
or a person's company due to some work, (2) naişedhikī, same as above, but when entering a place, (3) aprcchanā, asking the permission of the elders before doing any.
thing, (4) pratiprcchanā, permission for that which is to be done by some
other person, (5) chandanā, offering whatever others need, (6) icchākāra, carrying out one's own duty, (7) mithyākāra, condemning oneself for transgressions, (8) tathākāra, giving consent at the time of a promise, (9) abhyutthāna, getting up in respect to the elders.
(10) upasampad, remaining under the control of a teacher. Summary :
In short, the monk had to lead a very rigorous life set within limits of various rules of moral conduct.372 The typical ideal placed before him was that of the tortoise373 which kept within control all its limbs. He was, therefore, to be unattached (amama), propertyless (akiñcaņa), bondless (chinnagantha), unaffected by passions like a copper or brazen vessel which does not retain water, uninfatuated or pure like the conch, going ahead in self-control like the pure soul which goes up, unattached to any place like the wind, independent like the sky which has no support, well-controlled like the bhārunda bird, brave like the elephant, full of fortitude like a bull, unexcited like the sea, lustrous like the sun (due to penance and knowledge), unaffected like pure gold, possessing forbearance like the earth, and unattached like the lotus petal which does not retain water.374
"It was no wonder, therefore, that mothers tried to prevent their sons from taking to monk life which was dry like the morsels of sand, uncrossable like the Ganges when tried to be crossed against the current, or like the sea which is difficult to be crossed with the help of human arms. In short, it was
371. Uttar. 26, 2-7; Thăn. 499a; Bhag. 920b.
372. These are often referred to as 'mula-gunas' and 'uttara-gunas' (Bhag. p. 893b), or by the phrase : 'caraṇakarana.'
373. Näyā. Chapt. 4. 374, Thăn. p. 459b.
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