Mahavira and his Teaching

Author(s): C C Shah, Rishabhdas Ranka, Dalsukh Malvania
Publisher: Bhagwan Mahavir 2500th Nirvan Mahotsava Samiti

Page 270

ACCOUNTS OF THE JAINAS TAKEN
263 The Discalced Carmelite, Philippus de Santa Trinitate who wrote in Latina narrative of his travels outside Europe between 1629 and 1641 found, living in a community in Gujarat, "whiterobed priests who tore out the hairs of the beard and ate no meat nor even any red herb.”2
The Capucin, Vincenzo Maria di Santa Caterina di Siena, pointed out that "the Gujaratis have a special sort of cloistered monks who live in dependence on superiors in solitary places passing most of the day in underground temples, reading and meditating on the law. ... They live by begging, for even the water they drink or wash in has to be donated as alms,"3 These Jaina monks were on friendly terms with the Capucins of Surat and frequently begged them to try to stop Christians from taking life. Another Italian Capucin, Giuseppe di Santa Maria also found communities of monks and nuns at Surat who passed their time in spiritual exercises and, so he was informed, practised auricular confession.
The story of a tour by a Roman Catholic prelate in the East, published by his secretary in 1666 offers a glimpse, again at Surat, of Jaina congregations "devoted to the cult of images and ruled by superiors. . . . The morality inculcated by them conforms well with justice: to do hurt to no man, to be compassionate, to control the five senses in order to close the door on sin, to purge one's soul of evil thoughts, to have recourse to prayer, and above all not to stain one's hands with the blood of animals."5
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Itinerarum orientale Lyon 1649 This quotation is taken from the German version published at Frankfurt 1673 pp. 355-6. Viaggio alle Indie Orientali Venice 1683 Lib. III, Cap. II p. 272 Prima spedizione alle Indie orientali Rome 1666 Lib. II, Cap. 17 p. 155 P. de Bourges: Relation du voyage de Monseigneur 1 'Eveque de Béryte Paris 1666 pp. 104-5