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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26
STUDIES IN BUDDHIST AND JAINA MONACHISM
The gaccha, like the gaña', which is sometimes taken as a batch of monks having common reading (course of study), is called guruparivāra, the following of a particular acārya. The information as regards the number of monks consisting a gaccha which was three or seven' seems to be incomplete. The head of a gaccha is called gamin, acaraya or sūri.?
Besides these, we are told of units like kula", sambhoga,' sakhal, mandaliil, etc, which were smaller in size than the gana or the gaccha and were formed from time to time according to the need of the Order.
Unlike the Buddhists, the Jainas preferred autocratic form of government for their Order. They appointed a number of officers who either trained novices or governed the group just referred to. In the life-time of Lord Mahāvīra, the office of gañadhara was, no doubt, the highest distinction conferred on a professed monk. The eleven ganadharas appointed by the Lord himself were taken indeed, and are taken even nowadays in very high esteem only next to the Lord himself.)2
Later on they envisaged a number of offices, worthy of mention among which were those of acarya, upadhyaya, ācāryopadhyāya. ganin, ganādacchedaka, pravartini, etc.
The ācārya was decidedly the highest authority as most of the businesses, personal or ecclesiastical, were to be performed with his
at or permission 13 In addition to his duties to initiate and
1. A gaña comprised of three kulas. Comm. to Bhag, p. 382b 2. Pañcavastukagrantha as quoted in Pāia soddamahannavo, p. 358; Aup, p. 86. 3. BīhkB, Vol. II, 1630. 4. Comm. to Mül, I, p. 133. 5. AvasN, pp.353ab. 6. Aup, p. 125. 7. Gacchācāra, 8. 8. Comm. to Aup p. 81; Vav, 10.34; Comm. (o Uttar, p. 168h; Comm. to Than,
p. 516a; Comm. to Bhag, p. 382b. 9. Ayār, II. 66.12; II. 106.20-24; Thăn, 173, p. 139a; 398, p. 300 a, 662, p. 444a;
Samv, 12, p. 21b; Uttar, 29.33; Aup, p. 74; Vav, 7.1;5.19, Nis, 5.63. 10. Kapp (SBE. Vol. XXII), pp. 286-295; Jacobi's remark-Jbid, p. 288, fn2. 11. OghN, 553, p. 183b; 561, p. 18-a. 12. Samu, 11, p. 19a; Thān, 177, p. 142b; Ayar (SBE. Vol. XXII), 2.1.10.1
(p. 113). 13. Kapp (SBE. Vol. XXII), pp. 297, 306-307; Ayar (SBE. Vol. XXII), 2.1.10.1
(p. 113); OghN, 9, p. 22b.
