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Ş. B. DEO
khandha and dasā-kappa-vavahāra i.e. the three texts of the Cheyasuttas.
As the qualifications and the length of paryāya stand, this officer seems to have been senior to the uvajjhāya. With all these details, however, the exact nature of the duties of this officer are not clearly set forth anywhere. As I have suggested in my 'History of Jaina Monachism from Inscriptions and Literature' (p. 220), this officer might be acting in a dual capacity, both as an uvajjhāya and an āyariya when need arose due to the absence of any one of these.
Eight years' standing and the knowledge of Thāņaiga and Samavāyanga were required of a person to designate him as a gaṇāvaccheiya, (Vav. III, 7). However, no clear statement about his duties is available.
The qualifications required of an āyariya were identical with those in the case of the äyariya-uvajjhāya given above. Besides this, a high standard of moral conduct was expected of him (Vav. III, 7). The ācārya seemed to act as the supreme head of a group of monks. For the juniors had to take permission from him for all the important items of daily routine. Besides that he was one of the supervisors of the nuns as well. (Vav. III, 12).
The cheyasuttas refer to other officers like vāyaga, (Kappa. IV, 5-6) and pavatti (Kappa. IV, 15) whereas the Ohanijutti mentions 'vasaha' (V, 125). The 'vācaka' probably gave reading of texts to the junior monks. The ‘pravartin' probably looked after the administrative routine of a group of monks, whereas the vrsabha, on the basis of the commentary, seemed to be a person looking after the ill and waiting upon them. Save in the case of vācaka, who was to be a person of manners, who avoided excitement and atoned for every transgression, the qualifications of others are not to be found.
Besides those mentioned so far, the Bịhatkalpabhāsya refers to ‘abhiseka' and 'spardhakapati' (IV, 433; III, 213236). In the case of the former, he was sometimes equated with the upādhyāya (III, 2405, 2411), and sometimes
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