Studies in Buddhist and Jaina Monachism

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

Page 190

SECTION II
VASSĀVĀSA
(i) Universality of the custom among Indian Mendicant Orders
Nobody can deny that life, household or ascetic, is influenced and moulded by the climatic conditions of a country. Indian ascetic life was not an exception to this law. Wandering ascetics were constrained by the inclemencies of weather to adhere to one place at least during the rains Accordingly, the Brahmapical religious codes (Dharmasastras) enjoined upon the mendicants to remain at one place (i. e. dhruvaśila) during the rainy season.1 It was prescribed for the Buddhists to keep retreat (vassāvāsa) and the Jainas too were ordained to observe càturmāsa during the four months of the rains".
Thus it is apparent that retreat during the rains was a necessity for the ascetics irrespective of their sects or schools rather than a custom imbued with religious sentiments.
It is difficult to say whether the Brahmapical ascetics lived alone or in group, because the extant Brahmaņical religious codes are not complete in every detail in this respect. The period of retreat is however stated to be of four months' duration.' Other sources like the Buddhist and the Jaina too do not furnish us with exact and adequate information in point. The Acarangasūtra however informs us that the heretics (samana) sometimes prolonged their stay at the same place even after the four months of the rainy reason and also five or ten days of winter had elapsed. So also, the Pali Vinaya mentions that the heretics (aññatitthiya) were also in the habit of sticking to one place in the rainy season.6 This is what we are informed in brief about the institution of the retreat of the Brahmapical fold.
In serveral cases what is simply referred to in the Brahmanical is exhaustively dealt with in the Jaina and the Buddhist
sources,
1. Gautama (SBE, Vol. II), 3.13; Baudhayana (SBE, Vol. XIV), 2.6.11.20. 2. MV, 3.1.1, p. 144.
3. Ayar (SBE. Vol. XXII), 2.3.1.1 (p. 136); Kapp (SBE. Vol XXII), p. 296. 4. Vide Aruneyo panisada, 4.
5. Ayar (SBE. Vol. XXII), 2.3.1.4 (p. 137).
6. MV, 3.1.1, p. 144.