________________
had a following of some 3,84,000 Jaina converts when he passed away in the year 441 B.C. The kshatriyas thus embracing Jainism came to be known as 'Upkesiyas (Letter as Oswals'), and the order of Sri Ratnaprabh Suri's sramanas (monks) was called the 'Upkesa-gaccha'. Prompted by Sri Ratnaprabh Suri, the Upkesiyas also constructed a temple dedicated to Lord Mahavira in Osiya, which has, with timely restorations, survived the ravages of time to date. The Other Jains 10. While the kshatriyas converted to Jainism from time to time were included into two branches of Mahajanas (great man), namely the Srimals and the Oswals, the people of other castes and creeds that embraced Jainism constituted the other branches of Mahajanas. They are Porwarls, Khandelwals, Palliwals, Bagherwals etc. Digambara and Svetambara Jains in Rajasthan 11. The monks who, initially in the scrutable past, brought the faith to Rajasthan - both Sri Swayamprabh Suri and Sri Ratnaprabh Suri. were of the order of the twentythird tirthankara, Lord Parsvanatha. History, as it obtains today, is inconclusive as to the status of their attire. The Svetambara sect believes that the monks of the orders of only Lord Risabhdeva and Lord Mahavira were acelakas (unclothed) while those of the orders of the second to the twentythird tirthankaras were sacelakas (clothed), while the Digambara sect believes that the monks of the orders of all the twenty four tirthankaras were acelakas. So, it is anybody's guess whether Sri Svayamprabh Suri and Sri Ratnaprabh Suri were acelakas or sacelakas. However, the Jaina monkhood divided themselves into two clearcut sects - the Digambars and the Svetambaras - in the year 82 A.D. 12. The hospitable traditions of the land of Rajputs made it equally hospitable to both the sects of Jainism -- The Digambaras and the Svetambaras. While most of Oswals, Srimals and Porwals who were converted to Jainism by the monks of the Parsvapatya order, aligned themselves to the Svetambara sect; the others, under the influence of Digambara monks, followed the latter path. Some of each category, however, were mixed in a fair measure in each of these sects. The Bardias of the Oswal community who were converted to Jainism by Acharya Nemichandra Suri of the Gommatasara fame, are Digmbara Jains to this day Changing Faith 13. As has been said earlier, the Jains in Rajasthan belonged to both the denominations of Jainism - the Digambaras as well as the Svetambaras. Their faiths kept on getting influenced by the developments, from time to time, that resulted in divisions and sub-divisions in both the sects into a large number of sub sects, samghas, gachhas, etc as they obtain today.
The Svetambara Sect 14. The Svetambaras were idol worshipers from the days of yore. The monks, some of them very influential for their influence on the ruling class, slowly evolved a life style which was in sharp contrast to the samacari (the code of conduct) prescribed for the monks. 15. The Caityavasis The Samacari for the Jaina monks does not permit their staying in one place beyond a specified period, except in the rainy season when they can stay at one place for four months. But, those monks. who by laxity in their conduct, became pleasure loving and soft, started living in temples permanently. These were called Caityavasi Yatis. By 355 AD, this practice became well entrenched. The extreme laxity in the conduct of the Caityavasis gave rise to a deep seated resentment amongst the knowledgeable householders as well as those monks who wanted to practise the laid down samacari but could not do so because of the stranglehold that the vested interests of the caityavasis had on the system. This resulted into a movement, amongst the more discerning, to break away from the clutches of the Caityavasis and thereby, to practise the faith as laid down by the Lord. In the fifth century AD and Svetambara sect divided into two parts, the Caityavasis and the Suvihitamargis (the followers of the well laid down path). 16. The Vrhad Gaccha - In 937 AD, Sri Udyotan Suri ordained Sri Sarvadeva Suri, an acarya, under a big banyan tree. As a result, the Svetambara samgha that was known as the Nirgrantha gaccah till then, came to be called 'Vrhad gaccha'. 17. Khartara Gaccha - In 1017 AD, Acharya Jineswara Suri, of Suvihita Marga, defeated the Caityavasi Suracarya in a dialogue based on the scriptures and earned the epithet of 'Khartara' (better or purer). His order, from then onwards, came to be known as the Khartara Gaccha.? 18. The Ancala Gaccha - In the year 1224 AD, the Suvihita gaccha was renamed as "Ancala gaccha' because the Chalukya king Kumarapala's minister, Kapardi, paid obeisance to Acarya Hemacandra (Kalikala Sarvajana) after sweeping the ground with his 'ancala' (the end of his amga-vastra or the body-wrap). Another version has it that this gaccha was established by Acarya Aryarakshit Suri, and was known as such because the monks of this gaccha used their 'ancala' (the end of their body wrap) to cover their mouths instead of a separate piece of cloth called the 'Mukhavastrika (the cloth for covering the mouth) 19. The Tapa Gaccha - The year 1228 AD saw the birth of the Tapa gaccha. Acarya Jagaccandra Suri of the Vrhad gaccha was bestowed the title of 'Tapa' by the Maharana (the king of kings) Jaitra Singh of Mewar
शिक्षा-एक यशस्वी दशक
विद्वत् खण्ड/१०३
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
