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HISTORY OF JAINA MONACHISM
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it. If the lodge was quite according to their needs then they slept in a row (avalyā). The monks accepted the space allotted to them by the elderly monks (sthavira), and kept their bedding (santharaga) there.
The distance between two monks was such as did not give any chance of bodily contact between them. Then taking the permission of the guru the monk slept on his left side and contacted or stretched his limbs very carefully like the hen (kukkuḍipāyapasāraṇam) 230 He was to be particular even regarding the sighs (nissäsa), and held his nose firmly to avoid giving out a long sigh.231 Normally a monk was expected to sleep without a cover, but if he was unable to do so then he was allowed two or three covers (päüne....tinni).232
Proper Company in the Residence:
With a little digression regarding the mode of sleeping in a proper residence, we shall now see what sort of surroundings and companions a monk was expected to have around him when he decided to stay at a particular place.
The monks were normally not advised to seek residence at night or evening as it raised many difficulties in the proper scanning of the place. Moreover, at such odd times, the monks were likely to come across wild beasts, thieves, or courtesans.
If they could not get lodging in the morning, then they stayed in empty houses (sunnaghara), or in a temple (deüla), or in a garden (ujjāņa). If householders came to the same place, then they hung a curtain (cilimiņi) and carried on their religious duties.233
Generally, the monk sought shelter with those of a religious trend of mind. He was allowed to live with a laymen (sanni) without women. Fail
229. Ibid., 'madhye påtrakāņi kṛtvā mandalya päráve svapanti'-comm. p. 82b.
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The same text, however, (v. 232, p. 92a) lays down the process of
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sleeping in a small lodge as "ussisabhāyaṇāïm majjhe".
If the ground there was
uneven, then all the pots were kept in that deeper spot. If there was no place to deposit the pots on the ground, then they were hung up by means of a thread (ovaggahiö doro tena ya vehāsilambaṇayā).
230. Ibid., 205.
231. Ibid., 206. 232. Ibid., 209. 233. Ibid., 192-99.
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