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HISTORY OF JAINA MONACHISM
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the control of the chief ācārya who was the head of the gana consisting of several kulas. Every monk was expected to do service (veävacca) to his kula. Comparatively later texts, like the Samstärakaprakīrṇaka,90 lay down the rule which makes it compulsory for every monk to beg pardon of the members of a kula and a gana before lying over the 'Santhara' for undertaking a fast unto death. No further details are available regarding the kula.
Sähä:
The Kalpasūtra of Bhadrabahu, some portions of which are later than the Chedasūtras, mentions a number of Sākhās. It may be noted that the Chedasūtras do not mention anything regarding the Sākhās; so also the Niryuktis.
From the Kalpasūtra, it appears that, the Sākhās were "the lines which branch off from each teacher". JACOBI says, "It is not quite clear what is meant by Gana, Kula and Sākhā. Gaṇa designates the school which is derived from one teacher; Kula the succession of teachers in one line; Sakha the lines which branch off from each teacher " 91
It seems that such branches not only adopted the names of persons from whom they started but also the names of places where they originated.
Gaccha:
As compared with the Angas, the gaccha comes to more prominence than the gana in the Niryukti period, and it should be noted that the commentators always explain the 'gana' as the 'gaccha', in later days." Not only in the commentaries, but even in the later parts of the Canon consisting of the Prakirṇakas, the gaccha has found its way.
From the explanation given of a gaccha by the commentator in the Aupapātika, it is not clear whether there was any limit to the member
89. Vav. 10, 34.
90. 4 v. 104.
91. Kalpasūtra, SBE., XXII, p. 288, fn. 2.
92. See end of this chapter.
93. Ogha-N. Comp. p. 211a; Ganin, head of a gaccha, equated with ācārya in Avasyaka-N. pp. 353ab.
94. Than Comm. pp. 241b, 331b, 353a, 381a.
95. As for instance, the Gacchacāvaprakirnaka deals with the good and bad gacchas. It should be noted that the Kalpasūtra does not mention the gaccha.
96. P. 86.
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