Book Title: Studies in Buddhist and Jaina Monachism
Author(s): Nand Kishor Prasad
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur
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STUDIES IN BUDDHIST AND JAINA MONACHISM
ground, stepping over them, etc and a man or a woman offering food unsuitable to monks because of his or her faulty action, were deemed unfit to offer anything to a monk.
Along with these, the owner of the house occupied by the monks (sejjayara), persons living under his protection,3 members of royal families,' and persons of a blamed (duguñchia) and censured (gärahia) families, excepting poor families, should not be approached for food. Thus a monk should accept food only "from unblamed (a duguñchia), uncensured (agarahia) families, to wit, noble farnilies (uggakula,), distinguished families (bhogakula), royal families (rainnakula), families belonging to the line of Ikşvāku, of Hari, Cowherds' families, Vaisya families, barbers' families, carpenters' families, takurs' families and weavers' families”.? Thus it is clear that the members of royal families, while at one place, are deemed fit for offering food to the monks, are also enumerated among the unfit donors at other.
On the contrary, the Buddhist Church was not so much cautious concerning the fitness or otherwise of donors. However a donor intervened by a nun before he had undertaken the thing to give to th monk, 8 a person offering food after he had been exhorted,' a nun acting as a donor, 10 a person intending to cause any harm to the monks, 11 the families that had been declared lay-devotees under discipline (sekhasammatani kulani) 12 and a monk who had already begged with a view to give to the monks13 were disqualified to do so.
(ii) Proper and improper articles of food and drink The Buddhist monks are often referred to have used ricegruel (yagu) as their ordinary food. The Jaina sources do not furnish us with this sort of details as the Jaina monks ate simply whatever they obtained in begging Therefore to make any definite assertion
1. Daso, 5-1. 37-44; Pind N, 572-604, pp. 157b-164b. 2. Ibid, 3.5; Zyār (S3E. Vol. XXII), 2. 2. 3. 4 (p.131); Brhk, 2. 19-28; Bhag, 210,
p 231a (sejjāyara pinda); Dasv, 3.5 (sāgāriyapimda). 3. Brhk, 2. 14-18. 4. Ayar (SBE. Vol. XXII), 2.1.3.10 (p. 97); Nis, 9. 4-5. 5. Ibid, 2. 1. 2. 2 (p. 92); Nis, 16. 27; Dasv, 3. 3. 6. Daso, 5-2. 25. 7 Ayar (SBE. Vol. XXII), 2. 1. 2. 2 (p. 92). 8. PM, 5. 29. 9. KN, Vol. I, Suttani pāta, 1. 4. 81, p. 82. 10. PM, 6.1. 11. CV, 8. 9. 23, p. 214; Vide Vinaya Texts (SBE. Vol. XX), p. 119. fp2. 12. PM, 6. 3. 13. MV, 6. 25. 45, pp. 262-63.
