Some Aspects of Jainism in Eastern India

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

Page 87

Jaina Canonical Texts
59
phet in a naked stage, while both Pārśva and his followers preferred to remain dressed."66 Eliot also holds the same view. But it is not convincing and justified to connect the Svetāmbaras with Pārśva and the Digambaras with Mahāvīra only on the basis of nudity alone, "since it is proved independently that everyone of the tirthankaras, lived as a naked śramaņa."67
The Jaina texts provide us with enough evidence of the Jaina monks used little clothing. “To a mendicant who is little clothed and firm in control, it will not occur: My clothes are torn, I shall beg for new clothes." Elsewhere we have "a mendicant ... should wear the clothes in the same state in which they are given him.... After winter is gone and the hot season has come, one should leave off the used-up (garment of the three), teing clad with an upper and under garment... or with no clothes, aspiring for freedom from bonds.":68 It evidently shows that the rules about dress varied among the Jaina monks according to season. The Acārangasūtra, thus, allows a monk to have in winter from one to three robes, which, however, must be worn unchanged, unwashed etc. With the advent of summer new robes may be begged, but less may be put on, so that even nakedness is permissible. 69 A nun is, however, allowed to use four raiments. As to the kinds of cloth, permissible are cloth made of wool, silk, hemp, palm-leaves, cotton or Arkatüla or such like clothes."1 But they should not accept clothes which the layman for the mendicant's sake has bought, washed, dyed, brushed, rubbed, cleaned as perfumed" and also "very expensive clot! es.':72 Monks received clothes from their elders according to their status (ahārāiņiyãe) and this system of distribution of clothes reminds us of the same practice prevailing in the Buddhist Vihära." Another point which comes out from the above observation is that nudity was not rigidly practised in the early Jains institution. All that was emphasised on was non-attachment to any worldly objects, like clothing and other things, which was believed to the fundamental factor leading to liberation from bonds.
It will not be out of place to mention here that both the schools the Svetāmbara and the Digambara, did not encourage nudity for nuns We have carlier referred to that Sivabhūti, the founder of a sub-sect called Bodiya at Rathavirapura, started nudity among themselves but he did not allow his sister Uttarā to accept it.
According to the Pravacanasära, a Digambara Jaina text by