Book Title: Jainism in Buddhist Literature
Author(s): Bhagchandra Jain Bhaskar
Publisher: Alok Prakashan

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Page 126
________________ ( 107 ) incense, lights, etc. and assume renunciation as an ornament. Though the Posaha observances of the present Jains are apparently more severe than those of the Buddhists, still they fall sbort of the above description of the Nigantba rules : for a Jain layman does not, to my knowledge, take off his clothes during the posaha days, though he discards all ornaments and every kind of luxury; nor must he pronounce any formula of renunciation similar to that which the monks utter on entering the order. Therefore, unless the Buddhist arcount contains some mistake or is a gross mis-statement, it would appear that the Jainas have abated somewhat their rigidity with regard to the duties of a layman.36" Jacobi's findings are based on the findings of Bhandarakar or on the Tattvärthasüradipika and are supported by his observation that the Jain laymen do not take off clothes during the Samayika, and therefore, he thinks that the Jainas bave somewhat relaxed the rigidity with regard to the duties of a layman. But, it appears, Jacobi had no opportunity to collect the references from Jaina literature, we have already pointed out from the Bhagawati Sataka that the Jaina laymen who wish to le initiated to the vows of monkhood take off their clothes at the time of Sumäyrka. The Sagaradharmamta37, which is only concerned with the dutis of the Jaina laymen, also clearly refers to the fact that during the Uposatha days senior observers of Samayika removed their clothes during the Samavika period. It is a personal observation of mine that even now the senior members who are on the verge of becoming muni (Digambara monk ) renounce their clothes at night during the performance of Sāmāyika. It should, therefore, be clear that the Jaina laymen still observe the rigid duties which are referred to in Pali literature. The afore-mentioned reference to Nigantha-Uposatha in the Anguttara Nikāya points out the duties coming under Bhogopabhoga parimānaurata, the eleventh vow of lay devotees which enjoins that one should limit the enjoyment of consumable and non-consumable things. When this vow is observed,

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