Mahavira Jain Vidyalay Suvarna Mahotsav Granth Part 1

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

Page 647

178 : SHRI MAHAVIRA JAINA VIDYALAYA GOLDEN JUBILEE VOLUME
further points to his own sandals made of dry leaves. The ascetic makes hurry in order to attend the feast. Sankarşaņa follows a few steps to have a glimpse at the big assembly. The ascetic gives a confused reply to the query about their accepting the authority of the Buddha--ofrari 34 UNC PUTTE I ff a huge und Eife I. He then points to different sects of the Jaina monks assembled there in thousands. The sects are enumerated and their distinguishing characteristics are mentioned as follows:
अहो भद्दा आरहदा। भाविअप्पा (?) आरहदा । के वि दियंवरा, के वि रुक्खविदलमेत्तवसणा, के वि रत्तवासा के वि सेयवडा। पेक्ख दाव इदो इमे निद्दयलुंचणपसंगलक्खिजंतलोममूलविअलंतपविरलतणुअसोणिअकणा दियंबरा। इदो खु इमे बत्तुलवसूरचच्चिजन्तकोमलवकलंचला चीरवसणा। इदो खु इमे तक्खखपक्ककंदूउद्धरिअसरावसरिसवण्णवसणा अ वम्हभारिणो
COLETT I......
Well-behaved indeed are the Jaina monks! They have cultured their mind indeed! Some of them are sky-clad, some are clad in dry leaves only, some again are clothed in red robes. Look at these sky-clad monks with bodies marked with drops of blood owing to cruel tearing off of hairs from the body. Look again at others clad in dry but soft leaves coloured with round vasūra. Here are again ascetics who are clad in red robes resembling the blazing earthen disk just taken out of the kiln.
This description of the practices and doctrines of the Jainas in Kashmir as found in a pre-Kalhaņa text is important from various points of view. There appears to be a confusion between the Jaina and the Buddhist practices. It is only the Buddhists who are allowed to partake of the food prepared for them. We do not find any reference from other sources to Jaina monks joining a feast. Jayanta himself refers to the Jaina monks as Bhikṣabhujah-those that live on alms. The references to the anekānta doctrine, tapas and niyamas and also Digambara and svetămbara sects are correct though the details are not always verifiable. Jainism does not seem to be a flourishing religion in Kashmir in the days of Jayantabhatta though thousands of Jaina ascetics are stated assembled in the Aśrama. Rather the picture drawn in the Agamadambara points to the fact that it has degenerated and lost much of its moral strength in the then Kashmir. Jayanta pays respects to the Jaina ideals and individuals like Ācārya Jinara kşita. But the other side of the picture represented by the incident of the Kşapaņaka and the Ksapaņikā points to a serious weakness in the society. The Buddhist receives more attention of the author. But Jainism commands more respect.