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HISTORY OF JAINA MONACHISM
Before his final consecration and perhaps after it, the newly-entered candidate had to go through an intense course of study, and had to carry out the orders of his guru.
Seha, Anteväsi and Khuddaga :
These three words stood for the person who was undergoing a period of studentship. As has already been seen, the period of candidature or noviciate (seha) lasted for either six months or four months or a week. (cham.māsiya, cāümmāsiya and sattaraïndiya respectively).
The disciple was to reveal his devotion to the guru, by helping him to acquire new requisites or looking after the old ones, or lending requisites to those who were in need of them (upakaraṇotpadanatä). He behaved with his guru in perfect modesty and waited upon him (sahāyatāvinaya). If somebody condemned the guru, then it was the duty of the disciple to refute the person and establish the proper position of his guru (varnasañjvalanatā). He behaved so as to keep the morale of the company and tried his best to acquire new candidates for the Church, to help the newly-initiated ones, to help the sick and to pacify quarrels.14
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The Vyavaharasutra refers to the four types of antevāsī (associate, one living near the guru).15 It seems that a distinction was made between them on the basis of 'uddesanā' (instructions or explanation), and 'vāyaṇā' (reading), for some of them were 'uddesaṇantevāsī' but were not 'vāyaṇantevāsī,' others were 'vāyaṇanteväsî' but not 'uddesaṇantevāsī.' There were some, on the other hand, who belonged to both of these categories, ie, they received the reading as well as the explanation thereof from the guru. The fourth category consisted of 'dhammantevāsī.'
Another word denoting the studentship was khudḍaga.16
Thera:
As the word itself suggests, the thera was an elderly monk who had enough standing in monk life. That the thera was not simply an old monk but had also other qualifications is clear from his three categories referred to in the Vyavahārasutra. According to it, a monk of sixty years was called 'jaïthera,' one well-versed in the Sthānanga and the Samavāyānga
14. Daśāśruta. 4th Dasa; the qualities of an ideal pupil are described by various illustrations in Avasyaka-N. v. 749.
15. Vav. 10, 13.
16. Ibid., 10, 16-17.
17. 10, 14.
BULL. DCRI.-28
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