Jain Legend Vol 3

Author(s): Hastimal Maharaj, Shuganchand Jain, P S Surana
Publisher: Hastimal Maharaj Shugan C Jain P S Surana

Page 191

expertise of all, he anointed all the eighteen disciples to the posts of crya and so eighteen branches of R ja gaccha started functioning.
Out of the eighteen branches of R ja gaccha of Dhane wara S ri, the one whose principal area was chithoud became famous as Chaitrawal gachha. The successor of Dhane wara S ri was c rya Aj ta Simha S ri. c rya Aj ta Simha S ri's successor was c rya Vardham na S ri.
This Vardham na S ri between Vikram 980-991anointed Viramuni,
disciple of c rya Vimalacandra S ri belonging to forest dwelling gaccha as his successor c rya. In this way a number of scholar & influential c ryas and monks belonged to R ja gaccha.
Origin of M thura congregation in Digambara tradition
In V.N. 1423 (Vikram 953) c rya R masena of Digambara practices, started M thura congregation in Mathura. He initiated a number of beliefs which were different from the fully prevailing practices in Digambara tradition. Two of such prominent practices of c rya R masena are given below.
First practice: There is no need for the monks to keep whiskbrooms of any type, be they made of peacock feather etc. He ordered his fellow monks not to keep any type of whiskbrooms. Therefore his M thura congregation became popular as Congregation without whisk brooms.
From scriptural writings, it is definitely proven that the monks, to follow the Ahims (non-violence) vow of the five major vows of monks (male and female both) fully, are required to keep a whiskbroom and a mouth covering cloth as essential instruments to observe monkhood. In scripture like holy texts of Digambara tradition also, all monks, except t rthamkaras, from the early period are required to keep a whiskbroom and a water-pot (Kamamḍalu) to practice the five major vows fully.
Second revolutionary practice: c rya Devasena in his composition 'Dar anas ra' says that the founder of M thura congregation, c rya R masena, has stated that to imagine Bhagwan Jineswara in any of his idols and with such imagination, to worship or bow before that idol, amounts to false / wrong or prevented belief (Samyaktva Prakruti Mithyathva).
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