Studies in Buddhist and Jaina Monachism

Author(s): Nand Kishor Prasad
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 109

STUDIES IN BUDDHIST AND JAINA MONACHISM
among them who lent their supporting hands, in one way or the other, to the cause of Jainism were king Śreņika and his son Kupika (known as Ajātaśatru in the Pali canon) of Magadha, queen Mrgavati of Kausāmbi and Celana of Magadha, prince Megha and Abhaya of Magadha, princess Jayanti of Kausambi, the well known merchant Ananda and his wife Śivananda of Vapijyagiama, the renowned dealer in earthen vessels Saddalaputra and a host of others. So also Jainism is highly obliged to the most valued services of the eleven garadharas in general and that of Sudharma in particular who placed Jainism on sound footing by his able guidance and talented exposition of the tenets of Jainism after the demise of the Lord and his other ten ganadharas.
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Lord Buddha too succeeded in converting a good number of kings and queens, princes and princesses, nobles and ministers, treasurers and merchants on the one hand, and robbers and thieves, harlots and ruffians on the other. Thus one of the most influential kings of the time like Bimbisara of Magadha, very probably the richest treasurer of the time like Anathapindika of Śravasti, the most handsome courtesan Ambapāli of Vaisli, the most devoted upasikā Visakha and the best qualified doctor of the time like Jivaka were some of the best supporters who had no equal in their respective services to Buddhism. Among others whose contributions to Buddhism were in no way less important than their were Prasenajita and Udena, Vasabhakṣatriya and Roja Malla, Samavati and Supriya, Sariputra and Maudaglyayana, Mahaprajapati Gautami and Sihā, Abhayarajakumāra and Yasa, Nandaka and Anuruddha, Upăli and Ananda, and several others.
(iv) Conversion of heretics
sects.
Lord Buddha had hardly any intention to set forth any special rule for the conversion of ascetics formerly belonging to non-Buddhistic The case of the Jatilas and several others may be cited as illustrations. However the nuisance created by the converted heretics led to the imposition of some restrictions, a preliminary training or probation (parivasa) for a period of four months upon those coming to embrace religious life from other religious sects.
The preliminary training or parivasa was not a formality as entry into the Order was not open to all on whom the parivasa had once been laid. As such only he who during the parivasa period, did not
forbear
(i) to go to the village too early or to come back to the vihāra too late;