Some Aspects of Jainism in Eastern India

Author(s): Pranabananda Jash
Publisher: Munshiram Manoharlal Publisher's Pvt Ltd New Delhi

Page 81

Jaina Canonical Texts
Touring
One of the most important characteristics of the Parivrājakas is to wander from place to place. They wandered alone, or banded themselves into communities under a spiritual leader-Satthā, Gaņācariyo, etc.29 A monk can stay for a night in a village and five nights in a town;30 but in the later period the monks were allowed to spend a month in summer and winter in a village or a town.31 While walking the monk should follow some principles:
(i) He must have the permission of his guru before undertaking
any tour. (ii) He should keep silent except during the period of preach
ing. (iii) He should walk with all requisites as permissible by the
rules. (iv) He must not allow any heretic or householder to follow
him. (v) He must avoid the places, unfrienldy or full of anarchy,
and the ways, full of living beings, seeds, grass, water or
mud. (vi) He should try to avoid the road through a forest, not
crossable even in five days. (vii) He should look forward for four cubits and seeing animals,
should move by walking on his toes or heels or the sides of his feet.
It is also interesting to note in this connection that the monks wers also asked to confine to the geographical limitations mentioned in the texts. The Brhat-kalp a32 warns that monks and nuns should not wander beyond Anga-Magadha (Bihar) in the east, Kaušāmbi (U.P.) in the south, Sthūņā district in the west and Kuņāla in the north. Another interesting account is that the five rivers, namely, the Gangā, Yamunā, Sarayū, Irävati and Māhi, should not be crossed twice or thrice in a month by a monk, except under special circumstances, like any trouble from the king or famine, inundation or other dangerous situation.33 The Jaina monks or Parivrajakas, were wandering in these regions centring round Bihar, portions of U.P., parts of Punjab and Haryana states. Even a Muni is not permitted, after wandering about four or five leagues, to stay at the place at which he has arrived, but