Jain Journal 1968 01

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 62

148
JAIN JOURNAL
As already said, the word 'acara' stands for code of conduct and has its synonym in āyāra, ācāla, āgāla, āgara, anga, ājāti, āmokṣa, etc. An alternative name of Acārānga is Bambhacera (Brahmacarya) i.e., Brahma and Carya. The word Brahma stands for 17 restraints (sanyama) whose practice is essential for liberation, The first book of the Acārānga has nine studies (adhyayana) as follows: (1) satthaparinṇā (sastraparijñā), (2) logavijaya (lokavijaya), (3) siosanijja (sitoṣṇiya), (4) sammatta (samyaktva), (5) ābanti (yābantah) (6) dhua (dhūta), bimoha (bimoha or bimokṣa), (8) ubahāṇasua (upadhānaśruta), (9) mahāparinṇā (mahāparijña). Of these the first and the last studies are deserving of special mention, the last because its theme is the penance of Mahavira and the first because of its peculiar title, viz,, sastraparijñā. Sastra here is no earthly weapon but the innumerable passions whom the Jainas have called kaṣāya. For the fulfilment of these passions, man has devised the deadly weapon including the H-bombs and inter-continental missiles. But it is the core of Mahavira's teaching that in the absence of passions, no inclination (pravṛtti) need be a weapon. Another interesting fact in book one deserving mention is that in Jaina order of society the first to appear were kṣatriyas and sudras. This is in marked contrast with the Hindu social order wherein the topmost position is held by the Brahmanas and the lowest by the sudra. These peculiarities apart, book one contains, among many other things, a comprehensive view of the social order including seven varnas and nine varṇāntaras, a view of the nirgrantha order which was not all too perfect and flawless, prescription about food including prohibition about taking food with a amagandha (ama-unripe or uncooked and gandha means smell) and also animal flesh and a list of requisites' that may be possessed by the muni. This list appears to be exhaustive but it makes no mention about piece of folded cloth for covering the mouth (muhapatti) from which it will not be wrong to presume that its use was not in vogue at this date. Its wide use among the Jainas, monks in particular, must be a later development and has appeared obnoxious to many non-Jainas. Book two of the Acaranga has five culikās of which the fifth one has a separate existence under the title of Nisitha Sutra. Of the remaining four, the first culika deals with food, water, abode, movement, cloth, dialect, etc., the second culikā deals with where and how to discard the excreta by a monk and contains prescription about hearing, seeing and taking service on his person, the third culikā gives the entire life-story of Mahavira and the fourth one is a prescription to keep apart from mamatva (attachment) and parigraha (possession). About the genesis of the last two culikās we have an interesting story from Acarya Hemacandra as follows: Sriyaka was Sthulabhadra's brother. At the instigation of his elder sister Sadhvi Yaksa Sriyaka went on fast and died. At this unfortunate