Jain Journal 1979 01

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

Page 27

JANUARY, 1979
113
Among the Svetambaras Tapagaccha, etc. in Rajasthan and Gujarat and Senagana, Devagana, Nandigana, etc. among the Digambaras in South India have all evolved respectively similar monastic features and structures which make them look much alike, while Kharataragaccha, etc. in Rajasthan and Gujarat have evolved similar way of monastic structures and ascetic life like Tapagaccha with some differences in ascetic rules, etc. In many Jaina Sanghas, Ganas, Gacchas, etc. the specialized adaptation to a certain way of life is simply the latest stage in a series of monastic adaptations. For example both, Sthanakavasin and Terapanthin sects whose immediate parental Gaccha is Lonkagaccha have returned to the anti-image cult and have become adapted to that way of religious life of Lonkamata rather than to the image-cult of Tapagaccha. Readaptation may be a very complicated process in the monastic life. The present day Sthanakavasin sect and the Digambara Terapanthin community are the religious descendants of Lonkagaccha and Taranapanthin sects respectively. There evolved from Lonkamata the monastic forms which in monastic adaptive radiation led to the birth of Sthanakavasin and Terapanthin sects of the Svetambaras successively and developed monastic organizational limbs adapted to a new way of ascetic life. Some of the monks of these sects eventually left their own monastic orders and became readapted to the image-cult of Tapagaccha69. But some of them went back to Sthanakavasin sect from Terapanthin sects 70, while the Terapanthin and Visapanthin sects of the Digambaras became readapted to the image-cult”, returning from Taranapanthin Sect of the Digambaras?, with only this much difference of curtailing the number of items for the worship of the image of the Jinas.
Since one of the major struggles among Jaina Sanghas, Ganas, Gacchas, etc. stem from the competition for necessary requisites and propagation of their respective religious thoughts and ideas and modes of their ascetic life, a change was a historical necessity, enabling a monastic order to use a new type of requisites extremely advantageous to it and to propagate a new thought on religion acceptable to the Jaina followers, of course, without the basic change in Jaina religion and philosophy. This may be accomplished in a number of ways by the evolution of a new energy liberating the Jaina monastic system to attract the people by doing missionary works, such as, temple-construction, repair of old temples, pilgrimage (vihār yātrā), observance of pajjuşana (fasting and
69 e.g. Rsi Bhada of Lonkagaccha readapted to the image-cult of Tapagaccha. 70 e.g. Sesamalji of Terapanthin sect returned to Sthanakavasin sect. 71 See Jainism in Rajasthan, pp. 92-93.