________________
438
S. B. DEO the demands of the doctor, the monks had to provide for it from the savings they had done before entering monkhood, or had to depend on some money which were found without any claimant for it, or they prepared small toys, the sales of which were sufficient for the bill of the doctor.
Alocanā, Pratikramana, etc.:
Rules about 'ālocanā', 'pratikramana', 'kāyotsarga', 'pratilekhana', the ten qualities of an ideal monk and other items of moral discipline remained the same.282
A remark by Haribhadra in his Vimśativimśikā, reveals the author's strong dissatisfaction regarding the efforts of the Church merely to swell the number of its followers without minding their ācāra'. He remarks, "The degree and quality of ācāra that is followed and not simply the number of followers, should be the aim of a religion. Religion suffers more by its precepts followed in a bad manner than by people not doing it at all. It can be illustrated by the difference between the mộta (dead) and the marita (murdered). The people who follow religious instructions improperly, definitely commit murder of the Church. It would be better to let the Church die if it gets no followers at all!"283
It may be that Haribhadra was picturing the condition of the Jaina Church of his own times!
GENERAL REMARKS:
The following few characteristics regarding the state of monachism in the post-canonical period may be noted:
(1) Jainism spread to different parts of India with the efforts of Samprati. This brought the monks face to face with new conditions.
Naturally, they were allowed to undergo exceptions to the general rule which permitted them to the extent of eating abnormal types of food, wearing the apparel of heretics, and change the requisites according to local practices.
(2) The monks resorted to a lot of magical practices and spells to thwart the progress of inimical kings and robbers. Sometimes, the able among them was allowed even to take resort to the use of weapons.
(3) Efforts were made not to incur the displeasure of ruling kings. Ministers of states and eunuchs, dear to the king, were allowed entry to the
282. Vim. 11, 2-12; 15, 2-20; 16, 1-15; 17, 12-20. 283. Ibid. 17, 14-16.
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