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HISTORY OF JAINA MONACHISM
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nature, essential duties, and scanning the requisites. On the day of his arrival, the student took rest, and after a couple of days or so, he let the ācārya know the purpose of his coming.
Knowing the purpose of his arrival, the ācārya questioned him regarding his name, family, previous guru, his standing as a monk, the place from which he had come, his previous study, etc. If the student satisfied him, then only he was admitted by the new guru for advanced studies.
If, on the other hand, he failed to satisfy the new guru, quarrelled or stole something or did not show signs of concentration, then he was deemed unfit. He had to undergo prāyaścittas for transgressions committed, if any. If he refused to do so, then he was driven out.
It may be noted that the above procedure resembles with that adopted in changing the gaña for further studies as given in the Svetāmbara texts.
PENANCE AND FASTING:
The same division of penance into external (bāhira) and internal (abbhantara) is to be found in the Mülācāra706 also. These two types were further divided into six subdivisions. The only difference between the “vetāmbara and the Digambara texts is that the latter give a different list of the items of the external penance. Instead of the bhikṣācaryā and 'samlinata' of the Śvetāmbaras, they have 'vrttiparisankhyā' and 'viviktaśayanāsana.' The former meant the limiting of the number of houses to be visited for alms, or the number of morsels to be eaten, or the number of donors, 707 etc., and indirectly it may be said to be another name for ‘avamodariyā.' The 'viviktaśayanāsana' consisted in using a place of residence free from women, eunuchs or beasts (strīpašupandakavivarjitam sthānasevanam).
Other details regarding penance, e.g., the types of internal penance, 708 the different magnitudes of fasts, 709 the role of penance in purifying the soul, 710 etc. were the same. The monks had to put up calmly with snow-fall, the scorching heat of the sun, the frenzy of the gale, and the onslaught of rain. The ideal before them was the mortification of the flesh so that they became devoid of the plumpness of the cheeks (ālīņagandamamsā), the eye
grahah'-Mul.
706. 5, 148-49; also Tattvārthādhigamasutra, 9, 19; Bhävapähuda, 78.
707. 'grhadāyakabhājanaudanakālādīnām parisankhyānapūravako comm. pt. I, p. 279.
708. Ibid., 5, 163ff. 709. Ibid., 9, 44. 710. Ibid., 8, 56.
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