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HISTORY OF JAINA MONACHISM
369 The Brhatkalpabhāşya refers at different places to different lists of officers all of whom, however, cannot clearly be explained. The lists as given are the following: (a) (1) ācārya, (2) upādhyāya, (3) bhikṣu, (4) sthavira, (5)
kşullaka 20 (b) (1) ācārya, (2) abhiseka, (3) bhikṣu, (4) kşullaka, (5) sthavira.21 (c) References to the (1) ācārya, (2) phaddagapaï spardhakapati),
(3) ganin.22 (d) Reference to the vụşabha.23
The Acārya:
The ācārya or the gañadhara was one whose duties and qualifications were the same as those given in the Chedasūtras. Along with academic and moral qualifications, he had to equip himself with administrative ability as he was the head of the gaccha.24
He was to be a person knowing regional etiquettes, and hence a person who had studied the canon was made to tour throughout various countries (dvādaśa varşāņi deśadarśanam kārayitavyah) for twelve years.25
The ācārya always occupied a position of respect in the gaccha. In cases of attacks by the robbers, an ordinary monk posed as an ācārya to save the real one.26 In cases of floods, fires, epidemics and famine he was to be saved at all costs, even at the sacrifice of other monks.27
It seems that he was equated with the gain or the ganapati or the sūri. But the gaṇin was also taken to be an upādhyāya sometimes.28
Inspite of the high standard of qualifications expected of an ācārya, there seems to have been a degradation of the ācāryahood in this period as is clear from the following verses:
"Without undergoing a proper kind of discipleship, some fools wander as wild elephants, posing as an ācārya, being in a hurry to be so.
20. Vol. II, 1447; III, 2407. 21. Ibid., Vol. IV, 4336. 22. Ibid., Vol. III, 2132-36. 23. Ibid., 2405, 2411.
24. Ibid., Vol. I, 708-09; an ācārya who could not take proper care of the gaccha was not to be obeyed; Ibid., Vol. II, vs. 936-38.
25. Ibid., Vol. II, (pp.) 379-80. 26. Ibid., Vol. III, 3005ff. 27. Ibid., Vol. IV, 4333-46.
28. Ibid. Vol. V, comm, on 5831, p. 1538. BULL. DCRI.-47
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