Jain Legend Vol 3

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

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This activity of imparting free education and training to the children greatly influenced the common followers of the good work being done by them. Therefore the elders in the community, thinking such schools and colleges as beneficial for future generations, started collecting donations from the community to build monasteries, forts (ma has), temples, staying places for the monks, hostels, schools and colleges and kitchens in their campuses. Bha rakas of both traditions after building such huge temple and large residential complexes started calling them as Vasatis, Nasi s (staying or stopping place for the monks), ma has (forts) etc and started living in them. In the initial stages such complexes were called as ma has only. But over a period of time, to give separate identity to their ma has, Bha rakas of vet mbara tradition were addressed as rp jyaj (Honourable and venerable one) and the places of stay i.e. ma has were called as rama (rest home for detached and destitute or converts) while Bha rakas of Digambara tradition called their ma has as Nasi j , vasadi etc. Even though in the beginning these seats (places of stay) for Bha rakas of both traditions were found in all parts of the countries, however later on Bha rakas' seats of vet mbara tradition were found in Northern and southern India while of seats of Bha rakas of Digambara tradition in southern India only.
Bha rakas of this tradition started living in their ma has and acquired their ownership. They then organized education of boys of Jain families and of weaker sections of society. The most successful students of these schools were then appointed to the highest position as Bha rakas or group / activity head in the ma ha and the scholarly distinguished students were sent all over the country as preachers and teachers of Jain doctrine and conduct.
Such educational institutions came as a boon to temple dweller, Y pan ya, vet mbara and Bha raka traditions. These schools started imparting higher level training in different philosophies of In languages such as Pr krata, Apbhram a, Sanskrit and regional. Graduates of these schools were spread all over the country where they started teaching doctrine, languages, conduct religious rituals, make yantras, mantras and tantras according to their tradition etc and also wrote new texts and books.
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