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HISTORY OF JAINA MONACHISM
469 used to be the head of the group of nuns and managed all their affairs. Implicit allegiance to her by every nun was expected. The texts are not very clear about the exact position she enjoyed, for she sometimes takes the place equal to an ācārya27 and sometimes that of an ācāryopādhyāya,28 while one of the Angas29 reduces her position to be on par with that of a thera before whom nuns confessed their transgressions.
The right of nominating her successor was given to the pravartini. But a democratic practice prevailed in this method. Supposing that a pravartini nominated her successor and if that successor was deemed unfit from the point of view both of management and of qualifications, the nuns had a right to find out an abler head. Getting such a one, they could ask the temporarily appointed candidate to withdraw in favour of the newly selected candidate. In case, however, there was no occasion for finding out a better candidate, then the temporary pravartini was confirmed and the rest obeyed her. In case a proper candidate could not be found out, they could request the ācārya to depute them such a one.30
The educational qualifications required for this office consisted of the knowledge of 'āyārapakappa' which dealt with the rules about conduct and about punishment for transgressions. If a nun was fit for the office but had forgotten the text even in her young age due to idleness then she could not aspire for that office. If, however, she forgot it owing to illness, then she was made to study it again, and was appointed to that post. Old nuns who had forgotten the text and were unable to study it again due to advanced age, were deemed qualified on the ground that they generally never forgot the essence of the rules of monastic conduct 31
The pravartinī also had to undergo certain restrictions regarding stay and touring. She was to remain always in the company of two other nuns in winter and summer.32 In a place where there were many monks and runs, she was to remain with two nuns in the eight months of summer and winter, and with three others in the rainy season.33
The chief duty of a pravartini was to maintain the ideal conduct of the members under her command. The ācārya was to let the pravartini
27. Brh, kalp. 1, 41f; 3, 13; Vav. 5, 1f. 28. Ibid., 4, 1f. 5f. 13f. 29. Bhag. p. 375ab. 30. Vav. 5, 13-14. 31. Ibid., 5, 13-14; 5, 17. 32. Ibid., 5, 1-2. 33. Ibid., 5, 9-10.
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