ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 04

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

Page 67

only one thing in mind; he was getting restless to bring about rectitude in conduct. This was his only aim that actuated him to get separated from the c rya." 5
Bhiksu established the Ter pantha sect and ascended to the Ter pantha seat as the first crya of its samgha in 1760 A.D. At a conventional ceremony, he reinitiated himself as an ascetic in the tradition of t rtha karas who had never received ordination from a Guru for their entry from a home life to a homeless life of renunciation and penance. He was the initiator of a new philosophy in the history of Jainism. He was his own preceptor. He formulated his own concepts on some of the fundamental doctrines of Jainism. At the inauguration of the Ter pantha the number of monks who attended the gathering was thirteen. A passerby saw them and gave them a name "Ter " which means thirteen. Actually the number thirteen represents, 5 mah vratas (major vows), 5 samitis (carefulness) and 3 guptis (restraints), which according to Bhikṣu are the true religion to be followed, and he did not mind the name "Ter pantha".
Bhiksu preached what he thought right in accordance with the scriptural knowledge he could acquire in Rajasthani language, as he did not know Sanskrta and Prāksta. He asserted that man's labor of love for his liberation had been vainly lost in giving charity and rendering service to suffering life. He claimed that in the spirit of lord Mah v ra's teaching, charity was irreligious. As a critique of his contemporary situation Bhiksu writes, that asceticism is on decline in the following way:
Monks of today stay at the houses built especially for them, make people purchase books, papers and habitation. They are absorbed in vilifying others. They make householders promise that they would initiate them alone not by anybody else. They purchase disciples and they do not transcribe books. They send messages with householders; they keep more clothes than prescribed or permitted. They take delicious diet in violation of the rules. They go to public feast for alms. They are eager to have disciples - both male and female. They are concerned not with the life of a monk but only with continuation of their sect They try by hook or crook to prevent people from going to other monks. They sow the seeds of fraction in their families.
In the "Hundis", one of 181 "bolas" and another of 306, ācārya Bhiksu have presented a full account of the loose conduct among sadhus.
In Bhiksu's time the following beliefs and practices were current. Even the garb or semblance of lord Mah vra was to be saluted. It was believed that this particular time i.e. pancama k la is not conducive for spiritual upliftment and therefore the rules prescribed were relaxed tremendously. There was a growing belief in "mixed religion" where one and the same act is regarded as sinful and meritorious. For example, the act of temple building involves violence of one sensed souls at the same time it leads it leads to the religious merit.
No discrimination was made between worldly pity and donation from spiritual compassion and donation, to take food prepared for him, to use articles purchased for a monk, to take food everyday from the same house. Not to inspect clothes and utensils so as to avoid any injury to insects', to initiate a householder without permission from his guardians to keep clothes and utensils beyond measure to make householders prepare copies for their personal use.Bhikṣu wrote 1st lekha patra in V.S.1832 from the point of view of the campaign for purity in conduct. c rya Mah prajna mentions the following main points:
"Many people say that there can be no religion without killing creatures. They hold that there is no sin if one's thought is pure. But how can the thoughts of those who intentionally kill be pure? He said that where there is pity, there could be no religion without killing creatures. Violence is man's weakness, and that there can be no religion without violence is completely ominous. It is no religion to preserve a creature by killing another. Religion is to exhort the irreligious to adopt religious ways. To nourish creatures by killing others is the worldly way those who sense religion they are an ignorant lot.
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