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HISTORY OF JAINA MONACHISM Then noting a proper nakşatra, they took out the dead.
The Proper Direction of Placing the Dead :
The dead was to be disposed of either at the south-western or the southern or the western or the south-eastern or the north-western or the eastern or the north-eastern direction.
Various superstitious elements seem to have been connected with this matter. For instance, it was said that if the dead was placed to the north, illness overtook the rest of the monks; if he was placed to the east, it suggested either a future rift in the gana or a decay in morals; if to the south, then the monks were not likely to get food.
The Funeral Ground:
The monks were to find out previously three places for the funeral so that any one of these could be used in times of emergency. Out of these three, however, that which was the nearest to the village or to the place of stay was preferred.
The place was to be free from living beings. The monks did not choose other's funeral ground as there was a likelihood of the heretical people throwing away the corpse of the dead monk elsewhere.
How the Dead was carried :
The dead was carried over strong bamboos or pieces of wood obtained from the houses of the laymen.
Covering for the Dead :
Three pieces of cloth were used to cover the dead. All these three were to be clean white sheets of cloth, one of which was spread below the dead, another over the dead and the third spread over the second so as to hide the string-ties with which the corpse was tied.
The cover-cloth was to be very clean to avoid condemnation by the public for the dirty clothes as well as to avoid would-be monks from turning away from monk-life. So also, no lamentations for the dead were allowed.
The Tying of the Dead :
The thumbs of the hands and the toes of the feet were tied, and the face of the dead was covered by the mouthpiece (muhapattī). A small cut was made between the fingers.
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