Notes on Modern Jainism

Author(s): Mrs Sinclair Stevenson
Publisher: Oxford

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MODERN JAINISM.
By the courtesy of some Sthānakavāsi The Funeral ofnuns I was allowed to be present at the an Araja
funeral of one of their number. When the moment of death approached, devout laywomen were called in to attend on the dying nun, whom they placed in the sitting (or Kāusagga ) posture on one of the wooden bedsteads in the Upāsaro; the other nuns withdrew to another part of the room, where they sat repeating certain Mantras, taking no part in the funeral rites, though they were obliged to fast till all was completed. As soon as the nun died, the laywomen tied her to a short plank to keep her in the sitting posture, and wrapped a rich cloth of gold brocade over her body, still wearing its nun's robes of simple white and its mumati or mouth covering.
In the mean time a costly palanquin of teak wood had been prepared, the top of which resembled a temple, with numerous pinnacles each bearing a flag, while the inside was lined with exquisite silk and rich cushions.
The body was carried from the Upāsaro to the palanquin by laymen, who removed the plank and tied the corpse, still in the sitting posture, to some supports at the back and arranged the cushions round it.
A procession was then formed to the river bank; it was headed by a royal horse and drum lent by the ruler of the State, after which came men seated in a cart beating religious drums, followed by people on foot playing on ordinary drums and musical instruments.
The boys from the Jaina schools furnished a guard of honour; some bore silver sticks and banners on which were written : 0x4 Cordis Jaya Jinendra! (Victory to the Highest