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
of the lay-devotees. Besides, if the marriage-negotiation of the son or daughter of an upasaka or upasika was to be solemnised, or if an upasaka or upasika was sick, or if he or she knew the recitation of a celebrated sutta, etc., then a monk or a nun could also interrupt the retreat for a week. Lastly the retreat could also be interrupted in order to learn the recitation of the Patimokkha, if allowed by the Sangha.'
It has already been noted that to break the retreat without being sent for was strictly forbidden. A monk or a nun who had interrupted one's retreat on call from any one of the seven types of people, given in the foregoing paragraphs, must return within a week, even if the business had not been accomplished. Very soon after it, a monk or a nun was allowed to interrupt the vassa for a week even without being sent for by either of the above noted persons but the upasaka and the upäsika with a view to:
1. wait upon the sick (gilāna),
2. appease the inward struggle (kukkucca) of a person,
3. dispell the doubts of conscience (ditthi) by religious conversation,
4. (a) endeavour so that the assembly may sentence to parivasa, (b) endeavour so that the assembly may sentence to recommence the penal discipline (mülāyapatikassana),
(c) endeavour so that the Sangha may sentence to mănatta discipline,
(d) endeavour so that the Sangha may sentence to rehabilitation (abbhana), as the case may be; or
5. endeavour so that the Sangha may not proceed against a monk or a nun by any one of the five kammas, namely, act of censure (tajjaniya), act of guidance (nissaya), act of banishment (pabbājanīya), act of reconciliation (patisăraniya) and act of suspension (ukkhepanīya),"
A monk or a nun could break the retreat even without being sent for, if a monk, a nun, a probationary woman, a novice - male or female, or one's mother or father was sick.* But on account of the sickness of other relatives such as brother and sister, etc., one
1.
MV. 3. 3. 6-8, pp. 147-49.
2
Ibid, 2. 19. 32, pp. 120-21.
3. Ibid, 3. 4. 10-14, pp. 149-53.
4. Ibid, 3. 5. 15, p. 154.