Studies in Buddhist and Jaina Monachism

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

Page 226

THE CUSTODIANS OF MONASTIC DISCIPLINE
205
The Buddhist Church hierarchy, it has already been remarked, is distinguished from the Jaina by a number of officers who were to look after the material needs of the Order. These officers may conveniently be discussed in three categories, these categories in question being (i) officers in charge of food and drink, (ii) officers in charge of robes and (iii) officers in charge of lodging places.
(i) Officers in-charge of food and drink Bhattuddesaka :-of the various officers appointed from time to time to look after the problem of food and drink, the Bhattuddesaka and the Khajjabhājaka occupied a significant position. The Bhattuddesaka, in addition to his duties to issue tickets to selected monks in order to send them to the house of a laity, supervised food to be served to the whole community (sanghabhatta), to a particular monk (uddesabhatta), invitation (nimantana), food allotted by tickets (salakabhatta), food served every fortnight (pakkhika), on Uposatha days (uposath ika) and on the first day of a fortnight (pätipadika). The first occupant of this office was Venerable Dabba who performed his duties most successfully.1
Khajjabhajaka, etc. :-The office of the Khoijabha jaka was in no way less important. It was normally assigned to a senior monk (theral who very likely looked after the dry food to be distributed to the monks.”
Besides, officers like rāgubhajaka3 (distributor of rice-gruel), Phalabhā joka" (distuibutor of fruits), Civabhājaka" (distributor of congey), Paniyavārika (officer in charge of drinks), etc. also find a reference in the Páli Vinaya, but details are lacking in their case.
(ii) Officers in-charge of robes Civarapatiggāhaka, Civaranidahaka, etc. :-No less than five officers who were busy with the acquisition, preservation and distribution of robes are referred to in the Pali Vinaya. They were Civarapatiggahaka? (receiver of robes), Civatanidahaka® (care-taker of robes), Bhandagarika
1. CV, 4.2.5-7, pp. 153-55; 6.12.32-33. pp. 272-73. 2. Ibid, 6.12.31, pp. 273-14. 3. Ibid, 6.12,34, p. 273. 4. Ibid. 5. EBM, p. 187. 6. Ibid, p. 188. 7. MV, 8.11.17, p. 300; CV; 6.12.34, p. 273. 8. Ibid, 8.11.17, p. 300. 9. Ibid, 8.12.18, pp. 300-301; CV, 6.12.34, p. 273.