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Jaina Acāra : Siddhanta aura Swarupa
proper treatment. He whose fault is of a very serious nature cannot be re-admitted without his being a householder again. This acts as a deterrent. It is for the initiator to decide whether he has to put on the householder's attire or some other one.
That the defaulters and the good ones take meals together is unjustifiable. When their penances come to completion, they cannot share food with others for five days following a month's austerity and for a month after their six months' penance. The reason is that during such period their food is necessarily different from that of others.
Without a thorough knowledge of Acaranga none should form an independent group. For such begging tours and the like permission must be obtained. The essential qualifications for an Upādhyāya are that he must be fully conversant with holy books and expert in religious discourses as also in determining expiations.
He should be able to take decisions concerning the federation and should have at least three years' experience after initiation. The essential qualifications for an Acārya (head preceptor) are : his thorough knowledge of Dasāšrutaskandha and Vțhatkalpa; he should be an adept administrator and have at least five years' experience after initiation. Other posts like those of associate teacher, head nun, old learned monk, head of a group of ascetics, disciplinarian etc. are reserved for such as are proficient in conduct, of a clear mind and unmuddled knowledge of Sthānanga and Samavāyānga. In exceptional cases a monk may become the head preceptor even a day after his having been initiated but only when he is nobly bom and meritorious. In case there be some serious lapse in his conduct he is rendered unfit for the high post. One who had forsaken the Order but is reinitiated at least three years back and is passionless, quiet, open to reason and otherwise noble in all respects may still be appointed the head preceptor.
In winter and summer there must be a monk to accompany the head and his associate. There must be two for the general administrator. In the rainy season there must be two monks with the first group and three with the second one. With the head nun there must be two other nuns while going from village to village in winter and summer. For the administrative headnun there should be three other nuns. In the rainy season the number is increased by one in both cases.
The general rule for attending on senior old monks is that there must be a segregation of sex but in exceptional cases service may be rendered by the opposite sex as when one is stung by a serpent. This kind of nursing is not meant for able-bodied monks and nuns.
None can go to his relations without permission. If it be very necessary for a young monk to call on them, he must be accompanied by.
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