Mahavira Jain Vidyalay Suvarna Mahotsav Granth Part 1

Author(s): Mahavir Jain Vidyalaya Mumbai
Publisher: Mahavir Jain Vidyalay

Page 563

102 : SHRI MAHAVIRA JAINA VIDYALAYA GOLDEN JUBILEE VOLUME
process should not be solely a negative, but also a positive one. The monk should confess, repent, blame (his fault in front of his conscience), reprove it (in front of the guru), turn away and be cleansed of it, he should firmly resolve not to do it again, and, finally, perform the adequate pāyacchitta consisting in austerities : àloejjā padikkamejjā nindejjā garahejjā viuţtejja visohejjā akaranayāe abbhutthejjā aha'riham tavokammaṁ pāyacchittam padivajjejjā (Vav 1, 35; cf. 6, 10 f.; 7, 1; K 4, 25).
Other canonical treatises insist on the benefits that can be derived from aloyanā.63
The Vavahāra 1, 35 teaches the correct procedure : when he has committed a fault, the bhikichu should address his confession to his religious superiors, the ayariya and the uvajjhāya; if they are absent, he turns to ordinary monks, preferably of his own,-or else of another sambhoga ; or even, if none of all these are present, to a layman who will have been asked to carry the religious paraphernalia, and thus will have been given the appearance of a monk (sārūviyam); the sutta moreover mentions the pious sanctuaries (sammam-bhāviyain); if all these are wanting, the bhikkhu should stand in an isolated place and humbly confess to the Saints and Perfect Ones (arahantānaṁ siddhānam antie).
Because it is no easy task to confess, the superior must show the utmost kindness to the culprit and go out of his way to help him as far as he can.64 As for the monk, he should confess straightforwardly and confidently, like a child talking to his parents :
jaha balo jampanto kajja-m-akajjam ca ujjuyam bhaņai.65 To make sure that the confession is honest, the confessors have it repeated three times : 66 if the three accounts are identical, they are held to be true :
63 Uttar 29, 5; cf. Mahānisiha 1, 16; 31 f.; §. 13. Compare VavBh 1,
134 = NisBh 6 391, according to which he who has confessed feels
light, happy, etc. 64 Cf. VavT III 39 b 12 ff.; 40 b 2; IV 18 b 5 ff. Hence, nine qualities
are required from the superior, VavBh 1, 337-338, ten qualities
from the culprit, ibid. 339 b - 340 a. 65 Quoted ad VavBh 1, 133 = NisBh 6 392 = Ohanijj. 801; cf. Mahānisiha
1, 199 a. 66 In conformity with the technique of the śruta-vyavaharin as opposed
to that of the agama-vyavaharin, who never errs, and therefore does not need the help of any stratagem.