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LECTURE X
119
their time in studing, and copying sacred books, and writing books on diverse subjects In bucs, the Jaina Bhāndaras like thic Mediaeval Europcan libianics, weic rich depositoi ics of Indian lilcialues on diverse subjects from the religious to the sccular They cvcrted a profound influence on the mental and moral uplist of the Indian people.
Nunncies wcie also founded in the citics soi the spicad of educa tion among thc women, especially among the muns and the female novices. The Jama fallicis weic ciy libcral, and readily admittel women into then told The munncucs acqucd popularity and ladies from the royal household, especially the royal consoils voluntauly joined them I lic scmale novices weic admittel into the Jama oidei besoic the assembly of the monks , and after the formal admission they icic handed ovci to thc nun-11-chaigo, undei Those guudance they cccived liaming in the eleven Angas of the Jainas as picparatory 10 then icligious carcci The nuns were chicsly instrumental in the spicad of cducation among the fail sex The nuns impailed instruction also to femalc lay scholars in religion and moral piccepts attending then classes from then homeWe learn from thc Kathāhosa that princess of the ioyal family of Gangapura received ieligious instruction regulaıly from thic abbess Chandiayacas of the same city? The Jaina nuns ieceived all-round uaining in diverse subjects--both religious and sccular and we have on iecord the cases of Bhadda and Nandullaia, the Jama nuns who challenged Sariputia anii Moggallana lhe iwo apostles of Lord Buddha in open debates on pomts of religion Though both these nuns could not stand the debates, yet i! was a gloi nous defeat soi them both We do not have any evidence to prove is the Jaina nuns could be elevated to the coveted position of an Arhat , but they were promoted to thic position of the head of a community of nuns under the charge of a Tirthankara Thus Biāhmi sundarī, Aiya Yaksīnī, Puspahula, Candiabālā and Salasa Revat, were eminent Jaina nuns who rose to the position of a head of community of nuns and lay votaries respectively under Rsabha, Aristanemi, Pārśva and Mahāvīra
Education was imparted to lay females desiring to enter into domestic duties in the family, state and the schools We have noticed above
1. Kathakoșa, p. 116.
