Studies in Buddhist and Jaina Monachism

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

Page 202

VASSĀVĀSA
could interrupt it, only if sent for.1 the Sangha, a monk or a nun was to come back within seven days.*
Now what we find is that the circumstances under which the Buddhists interrupted their retreat temporarily were offer of building by lay-people for the use of an individual member of the Sangha or the Sangha in general, the solemnisation of a ceremony, and invitation by lay-people to attend a feast, the illness of one's relatives and the other sangha-kammas (ecclesiastical acts). The Jaina monks, on the contrary never availed such privileges. Neither they possessed any building nor the right to attend a ceremony or feast. So also, they could not promote intimacy with a householder, not even their parents. As such the Jaina Order did never find any occasion to allow such latitudes as in case of the Buddhist. However in case of pressing need, the monks could leave their residence and could go out even to four or five yojanas" but they must spend the night in some intermediate place, not at the end of the journey. *
with
181
Because of a pressing need of allowed to leave the residence and
(vii) Conditions for permanent transfer of the residence
There were occasions too on which the residence was to be transferred permanently by monks belonging to both the Orders. A study of these occasions would reveal that both the Orders, more or less, had the same end in view when ordaining so. To be clear, it was safety of life, physical as well as moral.
As already stated, a monk or a nun who once entered upon the retreat must not be inconvenienced in any way. Accordingly the Păli Vinaya allowed to change the residence permanently;
3.
4.
1. if there was any danger to life through beasts or snakes, etc.,
2
if the neighbouring village was feared to be ruined by fire, etc.,
if the residence had been destroyed by fire, etc,
5.
if the neighbouring village had been transferred to another place through fear of robbers, etc.,
if sufficient and sustaining food or medicine was not easily procurable, or
1. MV, 3. 6. 16, pp, 154-55.
2. anujānāmi, bhikkhave, sanghakaraniyena gantum sannivatto kātabbo ti-Ibid.
3. Vide Infra, p. 188.
4. Kapp (SBE. Vol. XXII), p. 310.