ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 04

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

Page 65

Similar classification of the original 58 bolas of Lonk had been done by Dalsukha Malvania in the following way. The first group discusses views on His. (violence) on the basis of samyaktva and mithy tva. The second group discusses the views on idol- worship. The third group discusses the authenticity of the commentary literature. Lonk has based his views mainly, or perhaps exclusively on the scriptural authority. This is clear from the quotations he gives in support of his views. He not only quotes from authoritative books like the Jain scriptures and the various Niryuktis, Crnis, Tik s and Bh syas, etc. but also raises the questions and doubts about the interpretations of the scriptures. He questions the additions and the concessions made by the interpreters to the pure religion preached by trtha karas in order to safeguard the institutionalized religion and the interest of the
c ryas. The fact that he has not mentioned Tattv rtha s tra is understandable in the view of the fact that even now Tattv rtha s tra is not much known to the laity among vet mbaras. But the fact that he questions or doubts some of the interpretations of gamas given by Niryuktis shows that he wants to understand pure religion as found, preached, propounded in gamas which is regarded as the original pure teaching of the trtha karas, Kevalis and ruta- Kevalis and which is not a matter of pure intellectual scholarship. Thus it is clear that Lonk is interested in discovering pure religion by removing various impurities and dogmas added to it through ages.
Lonk 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 Lonk has quoted, are cr ga s tra, its vritti and niryukti, Strakrtga, Samav y ga, Da avaik lika Stra, Uttar dhyayana tra, its c r i and vritti, Bhagavati s tra, Anuyogadv ra, Vip ka S tra, Ni ithac ri, va yaka Niryukti etc.
2.2 Legacy Lonk 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
Lonk 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 Bh na who self - initiated in lonk mat (sect of lonk ) because of Lakhamshi; who was convinced of Lonk 's views.
Establishment of Sth nakav si Sect: Lavaji took initiation in the order of Varj nga Guru of lonk gaccha and was known as Dundhiya because he was staying in Dhunda (Broken house). Vijayananda Suri in his book "Samyaktva Salyosharna" mentions that Lavaji, his disciple Somji, his disciple Kanji and his disciple Dharmad sa stayed in broken house therefore known as Dhundhiya. A Manuscript of L.D. Institute says Bhana Rishi in V.S. 1687 had a fight with his guru (A.D. 1630) and separated from him and was known as dhundhiya.
There are accounts, which say that hundred years after Lonk , Lonk gaccha started worshipping idols etc. Three munis Lavaji, Dharmad sa and Dharma Sinha left that sect because they wanted to carry on the path of Lonk as he had propounded. They were known as Dundhias and later as sth nakav sis because they stayed in Sth nakas. Lonk gaccha is on the verge of extinction. Some of them have assimilated into either image worship sect and some others have assimilated in the Sth nakav si Sect. Sth nakav si sect is further sub-divided into many sub-sects.
Sth nakav si sect spread to Rajasthan also. There in the later half of the 17th century we have another reformer Acārya Bhiksu who not only agrees with Lonkā on the elements of violence but also visualizes that temple building is a costly affair, which is a perverse view. Section two discusses the reforms of Bhikṣu who established the Ter pantha sect.
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STUDY NOTES version 4.0