Studies in Buddhist and Jaina Monachism

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

Page 206

VASSĀVĀSA
185 halting-places, garden-houses, family-houses and monasteries as these places were often frequented by other ascetics.
So the mendicants generally halted in gardens (uijāna) or temples (ceiya).2 Further they preferred secluded places like caves, forests, roots of trees, deserted houses and burning grounds to residences specially built for monks, places which were likely to make the monks passionate, regions which had no king or regions where the king was wicked.
When considered in the light of the above remarks, the injunction that “when a monk or a nun knows that in a village or scotfree town, ......, there is a large place for religious practices or for study; that there can easily be obtained a stool, bench, bed or couch, or pure, acceptable alins; that there had not come nor will come śramaņas and Brāhmaṇas, guests, paupers and beggars; that the means of existence are not small......, they may remain in such a village, ...., during the rainy season"4 seems to be justified. Two consecutive retreats were not to be observed at the same place.5
Now it may be asserted that so far as the places fit for observing the vassa were concerned, the Buddhists and the Jainas were poles' apart. As already noted, the Jainas condemned all such places which were above ground while the Buddhists strongly recommended them. Similar was the case with underground halting places. Though the Jainas are also referred to have halted in gardens, yet as their intention was to avoid injury even to vegetable beings so they disapproved garden-house, particularly during the rainy season as vegetation grow immensely in this season. On the other hand such habitations were very favourite to the Buddhist as a number of their monasteries, namely, Veluvanavihāra of Rajagsha, Jetavanavihāra of Srāvasti, etc. were situated in gardens. Lastly the Jainas also disapproved family-houses and monasteries or places visited by all sorts of people. Along with others, if there was any, this difference was due to the fact that the Jainas gave more stress on non-injury rather than on self-convenience whereas the Buddhists were more particular about the latter.
1. Wyār (SBE, Vol. XXII) 2.2.2.6 (p. 126). 2. Vivāgasuyan, p. 77; Antg, p. 41; Anuttarovavāiyadasão, p. 67; Uttar, 18.4;
23.4 & 8; Nayā, p; 69. 3. Mül, 10.58-60; Ayar (SBE. Vol. XXII), 1.7.2.1 (p. 64); Uttar, 2.19-20; 32.16. 4. Ayar (SBE. Vol. XXII), 2.3.1.3 (pp. 136-37). 5. Dasu, Culiyā, 2.11.