Jain Journal 2005 10

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

Page 33

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JAIN JOURNAL: VOL-XL. NO. 2 OCTOBER 2005
portrait of an advanced Digambara Nirgrantha ascetic who was enjoined by the scriptures to use the earth for his bed, quarters for his garment, and alms for his food? As for other two qualities of a truc ascetic, mention has been made of 'Kșanti' or forbcarance and Kipū or benevolance/ kindness. Without the attainment of these two qualities none could be called an ascetic by the Digambara Jainas in ancient India.
The Nirgrantha ascetics since the inception of their religious organisation had to bear all sorts of natural and man-perpetrated cruelties upon them with equanimity and forgiveness.
The Acārangasutra, one of the oldest scriptures of the Jainas, vividly describes how Mahāvīra was cruelly treated by the inhabitants of Vajjabhūmi of Rādha. Instead of keeping dogs off from Mahāvīra, the inhabitants of Vajjabhūmi set dogs on the monk and made dogs bite him. But Mahāvīra did not carry bamboo sticks like other monks to keep off dogs from biting. In the 3rd lesson, eleventh couplet of the same book, it is said, "When he (Mahāvīra) once (sat) without moving his body, they (the rude villagers) cut off his flesh, tore his hair under pain or covered him with dust":
"The venerable one (Mahāvīra) who had abandoned the care of the body, bore pain, free from desire."28
Not only did Mahāvīra endure himself such cruelties, but he commanded his followers also to endure all troubles (parişaha) that are likely to beset them in their life as wandering mendicants.
It is also to be noted that one of the ten duties of a Jaina monk is to forgive the offenders. The Nirgantha (Jaina) monk from the day of their ordination to monkhood "learn how to control anger and instead of giving way to wrath, practise the difficult duty of forgiveness and the monks are constantly reminded of how Mahāvīra forgave his enemies” and the monks are also advised to remember how the venerable one once forgave a wicked cobra that bit him and preached to it the noble virtue of forgiveness'. 29
27. 28. 29.
Hermann Jacobi. Ācārāngasūtra. SBE. Vol XXI Ibid. Mrs. S Stevenson, Heart of Jainism, p. 151 ff.