Mahavira Jain Vidyalay Suvarna Mahotsav Granth Part 1

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

Page 578

THE RELIGIOUS' PRAYASCITTAS : 117
(gihi, Vav 2, 19; 21). This means that they must take care to behave perfectly according to the Rule. They will not bathe, but will wear fine clothes. Then they go to the assembly of bhikkhus, approach the superior and say: "Lord, I wish to hear the Law". The superior recites it. Then the penitent proclaims: “I believe in this righteous Law. Let me leave the world " 155
Though the gaṇāvaccheiya is forbidden to receive the anavatthaya and päranciya into the gaña if they do not come as lay believers, the gana may insist that they be rehabilitated : the ganāvaccheiya then must comply with the gana's wishes (cf. jahā tassa ganassa pattiyam siyā, Vav 2, 22 f.). Four cases are listed, when the penitents need not perform this preliminary ceremonial : (1) because of regard for the king, and because the community is grateful to the penitent for past services (VavBh 2, 243-254); (2) when an āyariya has suffered some prejudice in his gana (ibid. 2, 255); (3) because his people wants him and no other (ibid. 2, 258 f.); (4) if there is a controversy between two ganas the members of which are agīyattha (ibid. 2, 260 ff.).
In the Digambara community, the two last atonements were called (9) parihara, (10) saddahaņā (Mulācāra 5, 165; (10) sraddhāna, Ašādhara, Anagaradharmāmộta 7, 56). They differ in various details from the Svetāmbaras' anavasthayā' and carama. But the general aim is the same: to release the links between the penitent and his fellow monks, help him to behave correctly, so that he can concentrate on his own spiritual progress, and resume his previous good conduct after readmission into his gana. Meanwhile, he has been placed in conditions which should constantly remind him of Lord Mahāvīra's example.
155 VavBh 2, 233.