Studies in Buddhist and Jaina Monachism

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

Page 127

106 STUDIES IN BUDDHIST AND JAINA MONACHISM
Thus, in addition to the standing in monkhood which was in no case less than ten years, the qualities expected of a monk competent to confer initiation or ordination, or to give nissaya (dependance), or to train a samaņera were perfect knowledge of moral practices, selfconcentration, wisdom, emancipation and an insight into emancipation; the ability to help others in the acquisition of these abilities; faith, modesty, fearfulness of sinning, strenuousness and unforgetfulness; purity in rules of morality, conduct and belief; the ability to nurse disciple in all possible ways; and a perfect knowledge of an offence and of the two Pätimokkhas.'
The Jaina initiation or ordination was conferred by an individual monk before a seated assembly of Caturvidhasangha, that is, an assembly consisting of monks, nuns, laymen and laywomen. Even then, it was perhaps neither a transaction of the Sangha nor a business of an individual, for we are neither told of the number of monks or nuns com. prising the assembly nor of any specific duty to be performed by them.
The one and the only officer who is referred to have been autho. rised to confer initiation and ordination upon a candidate is a yariya who may be equated with the upajjhāya of the Buddhist hierarchy. The various types of a yariya referred to in the Agamas reveal that the a pariya, in addition to his duty to initiate and ordain a person, has also been assigned with the duty of giving instruction to newly admitted monks. In this way he trains thein in the tenets of the faith. As he holds such a high and responsible position, he must in all cases be highly experienced and qualified. Therefore only a monk having eight years' experience of monk-life, and the knowledge of the Sthananga and the Samava yanga Sutras is deemed fit for the post. Besides, he is also expected to be equipped with the fivefold conduct (a vāra), viz. knowledge (nāna), faith (darisana), good behaviour caritta). penance (tava) and fortitude (vīriyam);' equani:nity of mind; learning; character and intellect".
Thus the qualifications of a Jaina dyariya competent to confer initiation or ordination considerably agree with that required for a Buddhist monk in general and that of the Buddhistupajjhaya in particular. The difference which is marked out by this study is that the Jaina initiation and ordination differed from the Buddhist as the Jainas treated it as semi-sangha-kamma.
1. MV, 1. 28-29. 84-85, pp. 67-73. 2. Thān, 320, pp 239b-241a; Vav, 10. 11-12 3. Vav, 3.7. 4. Comm, to Thăn, p. 104a. 5. Dasv, 9-1, 16.