Jaina System of Education

Author(s): Debendra Chandra Das Gupta
Publisher: Bharti Mahavidyalaya

Page 42

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JAINA SYSTEM OF EDUCATION
He prostrates himself before a (great) saint the head of an ascetic band NaturallySiddha must be the supreme head of a Jaina monastery Next in order of ranks is the Arhat The third in rank in the Jamna hierarchy of monks is the Acarya a learned scholar who has reached the highest stage of asceticism The Upadhyaya holds an in ferior position to the Acarya and teaches the Vedas and secular sciences The Acarya is the adept who has reached the highest point of asce ticism but has not yet attained to the status of the Arhat The Upadhyaya is the master whose chief duty is to instruct others and the Sadhu is the ascetic who follows the rules of asceticisin The Sramanas are ascetics who are versed in the scriptures and lead their life in strict con formity with the monastic rules and are expert in the interpretation of the sacred texts. They also must have teaching responsibility in the We have to mention in the connection two spiritual dignitaries-Pravajya-daynka and the Niryapaka the former discharg ing the function of initiating novices in the ascetic fold and the latter rehabilitating the members guilty of misconduct, in the right course That preceptor at whose hands they accept the (ascetic) emblem is known as Pravajya-dayaka (ie the teacher who initiates them into the ascetic fold) the remaining ascetics who help to re-establish them in the right course when they have committed certain defaults are called Niryapaka Each class of hierarchy of teachers mentioned above had distinct functions to discharge-a fact which will be clear from the following quotations It must be noted that all the most obvious and useful duties of saintship are discharged in this stage for example-teaching and preaching the scriptures and reading and writ + ing the books looking after the discipline of pupils travelling abroad and taking load
monasteries
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THE CURRICULA IN THE JAINA MONASTERIES
The curricula in the Jaina monasteries were encyclopaedic em bracing Hindu Buddhist and Jaina courses of studies The first
5
Ibid P 3
6 Sri Kundakundăcărya Pravacanasara edited by A. N Upadhye, M.A.
P 30 verse no 32
Ibid p 83 verse no 68
7
8 Ibid p 288 verse no 10.