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S. B. DEO The following officers controlled the order of nuns :
Ayariya (ācārya):
The role of the ācārya, as seen above, was that of a protector and a guide of the 'bhikkhuni sangha'. In cases of difficulties, he was expected to manage to get proper requisites and residence for the nuns. The nuns had to live under an ācārya at all time, and in case of his death, the nuns were required to affiliate their group to another ācārya, then to an upădhyāya and then to a pravartini. Under no circumstances were they to remain without any of these three officers.22 The ācārya had the responsibility of letting the pravartini know the nature of offences which the nuns were to refrain from 23
Uvajjhāya (upādhyāya):
Next to the ācārya, the upādhyāya weilded power over the nuns. He was taken to be one of the protectors of the nuns, and he perhaps looked to the educational aspect of the group. For, he solved the difficulties of the nuns regarding the texts which they studied. Gaņiņā (ganini):
According to the Bșhatkalpabhāsya, a ganini was superior to a pravartini, 24 and was the head of a gana or a group of nuns. What the ācārya was to the group of monks, a ganini was to a group of nuns (gana). She looked after both the administrative as well as the spiritual aspects of the group. In cases of quarrels, she asked the pravartinī to pacify the nuns.25 If she failed to pacify them, then the ganini tried to bring peace and prevented the pravartini from taking part in it. A high standard of moral qualities and a long study of scriptures was required for this post, as is clear from the following epithets applied to her: 'gunasampannā (endowed with good qualities), 'samā' (equal to all her disciples), 'anālasā' (energetic), 'svādhyāyadhyānayuktā' (indulging in study and meditation). She was expected to be severe in cases of faults (kārane ugradandā), and was to be skilled enough in increasing the number of the followers.26
Pavattini (pravartini):
A mention to this officer is chiefly to be found in the Chedasūtras even though the Brhatkalpabhāşya attributes a subordinate position to her. She
22. Ibid. 23. Brh, kalp. bha. Vol. V, 6048. 24. Vol. III, 2222. 25. Ibid. 26. Gacchacara. 127-128.
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