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HISTORY OF JAINA MONACHISM
223 The Vyavahārasūtra47 refers to not less than eight types of āyariyas. It appears from that that the following were the types:
(1) Those who only initiated a monk but did not confirm the candidate (pavvāvanāyariya, and uvatthāvanāyariya),
(2) Those who simply confirmed the candidate but did not initiate him into the order,
(3) Those who did both the above two duties, (4) Those who did not do either of the activities,
(5) Those who explained the text to the student (uddesanāyariya), but did not give reading of the text to him,
(6) Those who did only the work of giving reading (vāyaņāyariya),
(7) Those who did both these jobs, and (8) Those who did not do any of the above two activities.
It seems, therefore, that the ācārya had not only to look to the spiritual aspect of the Church but also to the work of instructing the younger monks, which was perhaps the fundamental duty of the upādhyāya. The same view may be said to be revealed in the classification of the ācārya in two categories as given in the Sūtrakstānganiryukti48 which differentiates between the ācārya who initiated a candidate to the order (pavvāvanto), and one who gave instructions to him (sikkhāvanto). The latter is further divided into two divisions : one who gave instructions in theory (gahane) and another who taught how to put these rules into practice (āsevane).
Besides these duties, the ācārya, it seems, was looked upon as the sole responsible person who had to take utmost care regarding the maintenance of ideal conduct by the disciple-monks. Not only the monks, but the nuns also were under his supervision and he was looked upon as one of the three protectors of the nuns.49 All the important items of daily routine were to be done only after the permission of the ācārya.
It should be noted that the qualifications required for the post of an ācārya as well as for that of the gaṇāvaccedaka were the same. Not only that, but the conditions for suspension and debarring the person from office50 were also identical. In spite of this, in reality, the ācārya seems to have been superior to the ganāvacchedaka and the latter had equal qualifications
47. 10, 11-12. 48. V. 130. 49. Vav. 3, 12. 50. Ibid., 3, 9, 13, 23-29.
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