Book Title: Studies in Buddhist and Jaina Monachism
Author(s): Nand Kishor Prasad
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur
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THE LAWS OF POLITY
223 As these groups of Prayaścittas form the subject matter of the following section, here we must confine to some important and relevant observations only. Absolution from the first six types of offences was sought either by confession or by self-imposed penance. The confession as well as the penance was practised before the gurū who gave necessary directions in this respect. The punishment prescribed for the first of the last four Prayascittas was curtailment "of a part of the monk's ecclesiastical rank among his brethren, which dates from his second reception, the definitive consecration to the vow."2 The minimum cut enforced was five days which was determined by the status of the guilty person in the Church hierarchy. Besides, the loss (Cheda) was also determined, like the period of Samodha naparivāsa of the Buddhists, by the period during which the offences were repeated. It was called Santară Gheda.
The next, that is Parihara, the purification of the transgressor by isolation lasted for one month, or for four months 4 or for six months". The person undergoing the penalty was subjected more or less to social boycott. It may roughly be compared with th Parivāsa of the Buddhists.?
The complete loss of the ecclesiastical rank is termed Mala. The person sub poena is required to get himself re-admitted in the order
punaruratopasthapana). After the complete loss of the ecclesiastical rank, the transgressor is suspended from the ecclesiastical rights and privileges and placed on probation so that he may qualify himseif for re-admission. This probationary period is krown as Anavatthappa which seems partially identical to Parivasa prescribed for heretics by the Buddhists. Jo Commission of a grave offence led to expulsion (Parañciyal from the Order for ever.
Other measures taken by the later Jainas were that they imposed upon the transgressor expiatory fasts whose duration varied according
; HJM, pp.3.50-82; H7M ; to Aup, p. 78
1. Ţ hān, p. 484a. 2. Indian Antiquary, 39, p. 262, fn. 25; Comm. to Aup, p. 78. 3. Vav, Uddesaka I; Jiyakappa, 80-82; HJM, pp. 235f; Appendix I. 4. Vav, Uddesaka I; HJM, pp. 236, Appendix I. 5. Vav, Uddesaka I. 6. Vav, 2.28-30. 7. Vide Infra, pp. 232-34. 8. Comm. to Aup. p. 78; Jiyakappa, 83-86.
9. HJM, p. 237. 10. Vide Supra, pp. 95-6.
