Studies in Buddhist and Jaina Monachism

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

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THE SALIENT FEATURES OF JAINA ACARA
ARA
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taking to monk life inspired the parents to renounce the world'. Besides these instances of taking to monk life, many a time, people were either impressed by preaching religious discourse to bid farwell to household life? or were induced by different methods to do so.
Whatever might have been the reasons of renuciation, the ceremony of conversion was solemnised with great pomp and festivity which mainly depended on the status of person seeking admission. As it was the last chance for the postulant to enjoy worldly pomp and luxury, he was dressed in gorgeous garments and then was brought to the place of conversion accompanied by pompous procession.
There the monk-to-be, after taking off his exellent garments and fineries, and putting on white robes, requested the teacher or the person concerned for conversion. The person concerned, after imparting religious instructions and making him acquainted with the pros and cons of ascetic life, inquired of him about his whereabouts and the purpose of renunciation. If his answer was satisfactory, then he was taught the necessary items of daily routine of a monk such as the way of wor shipping the cetiyas and the siddhas, the process of sämä yika, pratikramņa (confession) and the rules of iriya patha (movement), etc. Then the entrant, after observing the necessary formalities of worshipping the cetiyas and the vitarăgas, uprooted handfuls of hair in order to show disgust with his body. After it, he had to recite the
ika perambulating round the teacher thrice. The process of admission was completed with the offer of mejoharana (duster) to the postulant by the teacher utter ing the mangalamantra. 4
The man joining the Order is called sehas (or sekha), antevā sikas, sāmanera? or khuddagas and the women khuddiya”, all of them denoting a person in want of training. They are, therefore, kept under the guidance of a learned and experienced teacher either for six months or for four months or for a week only.10 During their probation they have to show complete obedience to their seniors and to learn the
1. Uttar, xiv. 2. Naya, pp. 24ff. 3. Thün, 157, p. 128b; 355, p. 276a. 4 Vide Infra, Chap 1, Sec. I-Procesy of Admission. 5. Bhag, 339, p. 382a. 6. Bhag, 7, p. lla ; Naya p. 163; Than, 320, p. 240a and Vav, 10.14 refer to
four types of antevā sika. 7. Suyg (SBE. Vol. XLV), p. 277. 8. Vav, 10.17-20. 9. Ibid. 10. Thān, 159, p. 129a; Vav, 10.16.