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JAINA MONASTIC JURISPRUDENCE
29 The mahattariyā mentioned in the Gacchāyāra (V, 118) was possibly a nun who was respected due to her learning and moral integrity. She is not mentioned in any of the earlier texts. As for her duties, we have no information.
The khuddiyā possibly denoted the nun who was not confirmed. She is explained as 'bālā' in the Brhatkalpabhāsya (IV, 4339). Digambara Hierarchy:
The Digambara texts like Mülācāra, Pravacanasāra, and others do not differ much in giving the list of the officers of the church hierarchy. They refer to sāhu, thera, uvajjhāya, āiriya, ganahara, sūri and pavatta (Prv. III, 47-52; Mül. 7, 10; 4, 195, etc.). The term indicative of a senior monk is referred to in the Anagāradharmāmțita (8, 50) and is the same as 'rātnika'.
However, in none of the texts referred to above further details regarding the academic qualifications and the nature of duties of these officers can be had. It is more than likely that the duties and nature of qualifications of these various officers was probably the same for the Digambara and svetāmbara texts.
III
The Problems of Seniority and Succession Thus the main qualifications of the officers of the Jaina church hierarchy consisted of moral integrity and the knowledge and proper practice of the rules of monastic conduct.
It would be wrong, however, to suppose that the organizers of the church hierarchy were indifferent to other considerations. This is evidenced by the several rules and regulations that guided the considerations of seniority and succession. These considerations were essentially important for the proper working of the monastic order as also to keep up the morale of the juniors and the seniors. For if nepotism and favouritism succeed in an
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