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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temple dwellers congregation. The devoted householders from directions started surrounding these monks for favours.
raka tradition and
The three stages of the development of Bha
their time period
From its inception to date, the Bha raka tradition had gone through three stages of development / transition. This is why the scholars and researchers of Jainism had not been able to establish its correct chronology and the period of its origin with valid evidences. It seems that around V.N. 609, due to the differences cropping up in the main congregation as Digambara, vet mbara and Y pan ya to some extent; the monks of these three sects, like the monks belonging to the monks of temple dwelling congregation, started to live in temples while still practicing the code of conduct as per the scriptures.
The first stage of Bha
raka tradition
The monks belonging to the three sects, in this way, started living in temples like the monks of temple dwelling congregation. Unlike the temple dwellers congregation, these monks did not stay in a fixed temple permanently. Except for the rainy season halt, they used to wander all over for the remaining eight months. These monks of the three sects lived in temples which were built at the places where last rites of liberated souls were performed or in old and deserted homes on the roads leading to the cities. These monks tried to maintain separate identity from the temple dwelling monks and hence started calling themselves as Bha rakas. Due to their small numbers and the need for survival, they used to maintain close proximity to their parent sect. Also it became essential for these Bha rakas to maintain and enhance close proximity to their followers / devotees. In this way, their desire and tendency to develop close proximity to devotees kept on increasing over time. This was the initial state and nature of the Bha raka tradition being born. These Bha rakas therefore started accepting money, land and other materials as gifts from their devotees and became owners of such receipts. Bha rakas, who separated from the main stream monks, maintained the same dress code as the monks of their sect i.e. Digambara, vet mbara and Y pan ya. However in Digambara tradition, contrary to the monks being nude, these Bha rakas started wearing clothes as well. This was the first stage of development of Bha raka
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