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
pairs or in groups' moving slowly, unexcited and without any haste? looking forward upto the distance of the yoke of a cart in order to avoid any injury even to vegetable-beings". In case the road was feared to be full of difficulties and dangers, then instead of going straight, they were allowed to follow another way, if there was any." Nobody was to make the entrance of the house of a householder passable without his previous permission;s or to wait at the door of a house being visited by mendicants or beggars; or to enter or to leave the house of a householder with heretics or householders?
Thus moving out for alms, nobody was permitted to tell any story to the householders or to take a seat amidst them or even to stand by taking the help of a pillar or the panels of the door or the door itself. In this way, a monk in search of one's alms could go upto a distance of half a yojana' in dry seasons and a yojana and a krosa 10 in the rainy season from one's residence.
Normally both the Buddhist and the Jaina monks were asked to beg at all houses without any consideration of the status of their inhabitants."1 The Jainas, however, were allowed to visit noble families only, so that they might collect pure and admissible food conveniently. 1* As such they were strictly forbidden from seeking alms at the houses of courtesans and other impious families and even at the houses of kings and high officials as they were feared to offer a preparation of forbidden articles of food or to cause trouble. 13
In this way, a monk should move for alms among high and low families and should never go to a rich family leaving aside poor one. 14 Moreover he should call on a donor when he, along with the
1, OghN, 411, p. 147b. 2. Ayar (SBE. Vol. XXII), 2.1, 5. 1 (p. 99). 3. Daso, 5-1. 2-3. 4. Ibid, 5-1. 3-16; Ayar (SBE Vol. XXII), 2. 1. 5. 2-4 (pp. 90-101); 2. 1. 6. 1
(pp. 102-103); Vide Infra, pp. 17-19. 5. Ibid, 5-1. 22-25; Āyar (SBE. Vol. XXI), ?. 1. 6. 2 (p. 103). 6 Ibid, 5-2. 10-11. 7. Ajār (SBE Vol. XXII), 2. 1. 1. 9 (p. 90); 2. 1. 5. 1 (p. 99); 2. 1. 5. 6 (p. 102). 8. Ibid, 2. 1. 6. 2 (p. 103); Dasy, 5-2, 8-9. 9. Ibid, 2 1. 2. 5 (p. 93); Bhag, 269, pp. 2916-292a. 10. Kapp (SBE. Vol. XXII), p. 297. 11. Dasv, 5-1. 14; PM, 7. 33. 12. Ayar (SBE. VI. XXII), 2. 1. 2. 2 (p. 92). 13. Ibid, 2. 1. 3. 10 (p. 97); Daso, 5-1. 10-11; 5-1. 16-17; Nis, 9. 4-5. 14 Daso, 5-2. 25.