ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 01

Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies

Page 103

shows that he wants to understand pure religion as found, preached, propounded in āgamas which is regarded as the original pure teaching of the tīrthamkaras, Kevalis and ŚrutaKevalis and which is not a matter of pure intellectual scholarship. Thus it is clear that Lonkā is interested in discovering pure religion by removing various impurities and dogmas added to it through ages.
Lonkā in each of his 54 appended dictums (bolas) mentions in one phrase one current practice and asks "where is it found written in the tradition"? He devotes his 58 dictums (bolas) for quoting from various scriptures to highlight what is true religion and thereby arguing that the prevalent practices go against the true religion as found in the scriptures and hence not acceptable. The scriptures, which Lonkā has quoted, are Ācārānga-sūtra, its vritti and niryukti, Sūtrakrtānga, Samavāyānga, Daśavaikālika-sūtra, Uttarādhyayana, its cūrņi and vritti, Bhagavati-sūtra, Anuyogadvāra, Vipāka-sūtra, Niśītha-cūrņi, Avašyaka Niryukti etc.
2.2 Legacy Lonkā as seen earlier denied all forms of external ways of worship involving violence, attempted to refine the conduct of the monks. He got some followers who were convinced with his ideas and denounced the idol and its worship completely.
Lonkā had propounded his views in V.S. 1508 (A.D. 1451). When he started preaching his views, and in V.S. 1533 (A.D. 1476) one person from Sirohi by the name of Bhāna who selfinitiated in Lorikāmata (sect of Lonkā) because of Lakhamshi; who was convinced of Lonka's
views.
Establishment of Sthānakavāsi Sect: Lavaji took initiation in the order of Varjānga Guru of lonkāgaccha and was known as Dundhiyā because he was staying in Dhunda (Broken house). Vijayānanda Sūri in his book "Samyaktva Salyosharna" mentions that Lavaji, his disciple Somji, his disciple Kānji and his disciple Dharmadāsa stayed in broken house therefore known as Dhundhiyā. A Manuscript of L.D. Institute says Bhāna Rishi in V.S. 1687 had a fight with his guru (A.D. 1630) and separated from him and was known as Dhundhiyā.
There are accounts, which say that hundred years after Lonkā, Lorikāgaccha started worshipping idols etc. Three Munis Lavaji, Dharmadāsa and Dharma Sinha left that sect
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