Some Aspects of Jaina Monastic Jurisprudence

Author(s): S B Deo
Publisher: Z_Vijay_Vallabh_suri_Smarak_Granth_012060.pdf

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ACĀRYA VIJAYAVALLABHASŪRI COMMEMORATION VOLUME
It may be noted that only the acārya could pronounce the punishment of parāñcika against a monk. The defaulter had to lead a secluded life for twelve years. If, however, he fell ill, then either the acārya or the upādhyāya had to wait upon him.
Under certain cases, the punishment of the monk punished with pārāñcika, was commuted. If such a monk was successful in pleasing the king who on that account stopped giving trouble to the monks, then at the request of the king, the Samgha could even go to the length of setting the defaulter free from the blot by cancelling the rest of the punishment.
The most important thing to be noted is that the Jitakalpa and its Bhāșya seem to refer to the fact that anavasthāpya and pārāñcika went out of use after Bhadrabāhu, the caturdaśapūrvadharin. This can be corroborated by the fact that these texts mostly refer to fasts of various magnitudes as punishments for transgressions of different types committed by the monk, and the Bșhatkalpa-bhäsya often refers to them. In cases of transgressions regarding improper company,45 using improper roads,46 seeking improper residence, selecting improper clothing, 47 wearing them improperly,48 improperly coating the bowl,49 and in several other matters we find that these smaller expiatory fasts were mostly prescribed. One instance50 will suffice here. Normally a monk was not to eat raw fruit. But if he took with permission the fruit belonging to a heretic then he had to undergo caturlaghavah, and if belonging to the Bhogika.......
Caturguru if belonging to the Grāma.......
Şadlaghu if belonging to the Vaņik........
Şadguru if belonging to the Gosthi.
Cheda if belonging to the householder....
Müla if belonging to the police....
Anavasthāpya if belonging to the king........
Parañcika One more aspect of these later texts should be noted and that is that they give abundant exceptions to the general rule in cases of peculiar circumstances-either social, political or climatic. Due to these, the monks had to adjust their behaviour without transgressing the core of monastic life. It is quite likely, therefore, that due to that such a system of expiatory fasts for transgressions came in vogue. On this basis, rules of Jaina monastic jurisprudence took a new look, and they were made more accommodative.