Some Aspects of Jaina Monastic Jurisprudence

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

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DEO: JAINA MONASTIC JURISPRUDENCE
Coming to the rules of jurisprudence as applicable to Jaina nuns, one finds that the nuns were always taken to be subordinate to the monks. It is laid down that "a monk of three years' standing may become the upādhyāya of a nun of thirty years' standing; and a monk of five years' standing can become the upādhyāya of a nun of sixty years' standing". 51 This reminds one of a similar rule from the Buddhist text Cullavagga (X, 1,4,) where it is stated that a nun even of a hundred years' standing should bow down to a monk who has quite recently been initiated. This explains the utterly subordinate position of the nuns of both these sects in their church organisation. The Vavahara-sutta52 again lays down that "the ācārya, upādhyāya and the pravartinī—these three are the protectors of the nuns".
The rules of jurisprudence as applied in the case of nuns were not radically different from those of the monks, hence they need not be repeated here again. One thing, however, may be noted, and that is regarding parihāra—i.e. keeping the transgressor separate from the group. According to the Vavahāra-sutta (5, 11-12), the nuns underwent this punishment while the Brhatkalpa-bhāsya (V, p. 1561) prohibited the nuns from undergoing it.
A survey of these rules of Jaina monastic jurisprudence, however disconnected it may appear, brings one or two aspects to prominence. The first is that, unlike the Buddhist texts, the Jaina texts fail to give exhaustive details regarding the circumstances that led to the formulation of rules. Secondly, the list of the principal ten prāyaścittas is the same in both the canonical and non-canonical or later texts. But the Cheda-sūtras and later texts show attempts of codification of rules of monastic jurisprudence and possibly organisation of church. For details, however, we have to depend mostly on commentaries. Even in these, details regarding the process of appointing church officers, the method of trying a monk before an assembly of monks, etc. are not to be found exhaustively. Thirdly, later texts lay more emphasis on expiatory fasts. Possibly the major prāyaścittas were rarely used. Fourthly, the position of nuns always remained subordinate to monks. And lastly, whatever rules of Jaina monastic jurisprudence are to be found were formulated solely with a view to retain the core of orthodoxy and purity of monastic life undisturbed. This orthodoxy and purity are still the coveted merits of Jaina monachism.