History of Jaina Monachism

Author(s): S B Deo
Publisher: Deccan College Research Institute

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HISTORY OF JAINA MONACHISM the state of Jaina Church from C. the 4th cen. B.C. to the codification of the Canon at Valabhī.
In these various groups of the texts, however, the Chedasūtras may be said to represent the earliest portion (C. 4th cent B.C.) as compared with the rest of the books. The Niryuktis are attributed to C. 300 to 500 A.D. or even a little earlier. The Prakīrņakas may be attributed to a period later than the 3rd or 4th cent. A.D. on account of their astronomical details.
The earliest Digambara opinions may be said to be found in the works of Kundakunda (C. 1st cent. A.D.) and Vattakera (C. 1st cent. A.D.). We have, therefore, incorporated their material in this phase.
(iii) The third phase of Jaina monachism is based on all the postcanonical and commentarial works like the Bhāşyas, Cūrņis, sīkās and those of post-Valabhi Jaina writers. This phase, therefore, may be said to extend from the sixth century A.D. onwards.
Digambara works of this period depict their own practices.
(b) The limit placed for the history of Jaina monachism is the close of the sixteenth century A.D. when the influence of the Muslim rule in various parts of the country can be ascertained.
Moreover, with the advent of the eighteenth century, it may be said that the country came in contact, more or less, with the English, which opened up a new era, the effects of which on Indian religious life cannot be fully realised unless a few more centuries essential for 'a look back', elapse.
(c) Taking into consideration the importance of epigraphical sources, all information obtained in them has been included in a separate chapter so as to reveal, as far as possible, the connected picture of the development of Jaina monachism, as against that based on traditions, the texts of the canon, and the works of later writers.
(d) In dealing with the different rules of a monastic system which has been most conservative, repetition of material is unavoidable. It is only when exhaustive details of each phase are described that there is a likelihood of detecting a change or otherwise.
(e) Even though monachism implies a life away from society, the different monachisms in India have played no minor role in the development of social traditions of different people. The impacts of Jainism on society and vice versa, therefore, are studied in a separate chapter,