________________
HISTORY OF JAINA MONACHISM
455 Sleeping in caves full of triangular pointed stones (trikonapāşāņaśarkarākarparādi ākīrņe) was also prescribed. Without moving his limbs or fearing for the beasts, he slept like the dead (savavat) only for two ghatikās.368
Service:
Mutual service, irrespective of seniority or otherwise, was advised in the case of all. It consisted in offering residence, seat, instructions, food, medicine and deposition of bodily excreta in illness, epidemics, famine, and rescue work in attacks by thieves or wild animals along the tour.369
Respect to the Elders:
Apart from service, the monks had to show complete respect to the elders through acts of getting up when they came, not sitting on a higher seat, giving them a seat, going a few steps with them to bid them farewell, and showing complete devotion and respect to them at all times.370 Celibacy:
No contact with women was to be kept, and the Anagāradharmāmrta goes eloquent in describing the horrible nature of women.
The monk was to remain controlled like the tortoise (kūrmavat) 371 and was to avoid all occasions of the excitement of passions.
Thus, complete mental and physical control, and a life of purity and service was the motto of the monk. He was the friend of all and the enemy of none.372 Even if somebody tried to kill him, he bore no ill-will against his murderer.373 He avoided all transgressions for he knew that the prāyaścittas could not purify him if he was devoid of the 'mahāvratas. "374
Moral Degradation:
Certain remarks of Aśādhara, the author of Anagāradharmāmrta, however, tend to reveal that there had crept in a lot of moral corruption in the Church of his time. For instance, at one place, 375 he laments the shortage of people who are endowed with straightforwardness (ārjava), and those who
368. Ibid. 6, 99. 369. Ibid. comm. p. 521. 370. Ibid. 7, 71. 371. Ibid. 6, 96. 372. Ibid. 8, 35. 373. Ibid. 6, 101. 374. Ibid. 9, 89. 375. Ibid. 6, 20.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
