Studies in Buddhist and Jaina Monachism

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

Page 191

STUDIES IN BUDDHIST AND JAINA MONACHISM
the Buddhist sources
Sources.
Accordingly, the Jaina as well as comprise minute details concerning every walk of ascetic life during the rainy season which is the subject matter of the the section proposed.
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(ii) The causes of the Institution of the Retreat
As a matter of fact, no direct mention is made in the Pali Vinaya of the reasons which were responsible for the introduction of retreat in the Buddhist Sangha. However, according to the same sourses, the apparent reasons which led to the institution of the retreat were public comment that the monks were indulging in the destruction of vegetable and small living beings by going out on tours during the rainy season-vassam pi carikaṁ caranti, haritani tinani sammaddantă, ekindriyam jivam viheṭhenta bahu khuddake pane sanghatam apadenta", and as such monks' intention to avoid injury even to vegetation. It is beyond any doubt that the monks were relieved from the inconveniences of gug out on tours during the rains when there were profuse mud and water along the roads, though their intention behind the introduction of the retreat had never been so is apparent from the Pali Vinaya.
The reasons which were responsible for the introduction of the retreat in the Jaina Order were non-injury and inconveniences of travels during the rains. Naturally the Acara ngasutra ordained the monks to remain at one place during the rainy season, because the roads were full of living beings of various species. Besides, the monks could also prolong their stay at the same place even after the end of the rainy season, in case the roads still were full of living creatures, or of mud and water, etc.", or in case the rains had not stopped as yet or in case of calamity, famine (omoyariya), royal disfavour or illness*.
Now what we may infer is that the principal cause of the institution of the retreat in both the Orders, the Buddhist as well as the Jaina, was the same, that is non-injury. Though avoidance of inconveniences of travels is indirectly recorded as the secondary cause by the Jaina sources whereas the Buddhist records are silent in this respect, yet our spéculation that it would have been the primary cause responsible for the introduction of the retreat in Indian mendicant life
1. MV, 3.1.1, p. 144.
2. Ayar (SBE. Vol. XXII), 2 3 1.1 (p. 136).
3. Ibid, 2.3.1. 4-5 (p. 137).
4. DasaN, 8. 22-23, p. 56a.