________________
The Teachings of Arhat Pārśva And The Distinctness of His Sect
105
Mahavira forbade this practice. Pärśva allowed his monks to accept the meals prepared for the king; Mahāvira prohibited it. In Mahāvira's tradition it was vital for a friar (or nun) to move from one place to another, except during the rainy season: Also, an ascetic, he had said, must not stay at one place for more than a month. But, according to Pārsva's tradition, a friar could stay at one place as long as he wished. In short, to keep on wandering was essential in Mahavira's but was optional in Pärsva's disciplinary code. Again, Mahāvīra had stressed that an ascetic must stay on at one place during the four months of the rainy season; in Pārsva's tradition this practice was also optional
According to Mahavira an aspirant to friarhood must be initiated probationally. After this testing period, if he is proven eligible, then he may be allowed to be ordinated second time and his seniority was fixed accordingly in the Order or Samgha.
These are some of the distinctive features of Pärsva's philosophy, teachings, and monastic discipline as can be traced out from the early literature. The belief that all Jinas teach the same code of conduct, and that the ascetics of the Pärsva's Order had become wayward by Mahavira's time receives no support from the evidence locked in the earlier canonical books.
NOTES AND REFERENCES 1. See Epigraphia Indica, Vol. X. Appendix. A list of Brāhmi
Inscriptions S.N. 110, p. 20. Kalpasūtra 216. In the various inscriptions of Kankāli Tīlā, Mathurā, we have two readings about this kula of the Kottiya- gana: (1) Thâniya-kula (2) Sthaniya-kula. While in the
Kalpasūtra we have a third reading. Vänijja-kula. 3. Preserved in the Government Museum, Lucknow. 4. This date is after the recent researches by Gritli v.
Mitterwallner CY. U.P. Shah, Studies in Jaina Art, Varanasi 1955, plate 1,
fig. 3. 6. Me Kate ime viyāpata hohonti tỉ niganthesu Pi -- Inscription
No. 7, line 16, Delhi-Topara Inscription See G.P. Malalasekere, Dictionary of Pali-Proper names,
Vol. II, London 1974, pp. 61-65. 8. Hermann Jacobi, Jaina Sutras, Part II, (S.B.E. Vol. XLV),
Introduction, p. xxi. 9. (A) Câujjñame niyanthe-Isibhāsiyain, 31.
(B) Cāujjāmo ya jo dhammo jo imo pamcasikkio.
Uttaradhyayana 23/12. 10. See Pt. Sukhalal, Cara Tirthankara (Hindi). (sec. edn.).
Varanasi 1989, pp. 141-43, See also "Introduction", the
Sacred Books of the East, Vol. XXII, p. xliv. 11. Isibhâsiyāiñ, 31. 12. Ācāränga II, 15/25. 13. Sūtrakstānga II. 7/8. 14. Vyakhyaprajñapti 1/9/21-24; 2/5/95: 5/9/254-255. 15. Jñātādharma-kathā 2/3/1-6. 16. Uttaradhyayana 23.
17. Rājapradesiya 2/3. 18. Narakāvalika (Niryavaliya-sutra) 3/1. 19. Sthānanga 9/61. 20. Uttaradhyayana 23/12-13; see also commentary of
Sāntyācārya for these verses. 21. Samaväyänga 8/8, 9/4, 16/4, 38/1, 100/4. 22. Auasyaka-niryukti 238 and 1241-1243. 23. Visesavasyaka-bhāsya. 24. Avasyaka-cürni. 25. Paryusana-kalpa (Kalpa-sūtra) 148-156. 26. Mūlācára. 27. See Arhat Parsva. 28. Isibhästyäiñ, 31. 29. See Sagarmal Jain, Rishihhasit : A Study, Jaipur 1988. 30. Isibhāstyain, 31. 31. Sätrakrtänga II, Chapter 7th. 32. Vyākhyāprajñapti 10.9.33. Ibid, 2.5. 33. 34. Uttaradhyayana 23. 35. See Cara Tirthankara for detailed discussion. 36. Uttarādhyayana 23/12. 37. Se väriya ithi saraihhattam-Sotraktänga 1/6/28. 38. Ibid., 1/3/4/9-10. 39. Ibid., 2/7/81. 40. Vyakhyaprajñapti 1/9/123. See also Avašyaka-niryukti 1241 41. Uttarādhyayana 23/12. See also santācārya's tikä on the
above verses. 42. See (a) Avasyaka-niryukti, 1241-1243.
(b) Brhat-Kalpa sutra-bhāsya, 6359-6366.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
