Studies in Buddhist and Jaina Monachism

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

Page 69

STUDIES IN BUDDHIST AND JAINA MONACHISM
teachers often referred to in the Tipitaka. There was every chance of his coming across at least with Mahāvīra whose diocese of religions activity almost coincided with that of the Buddha Whatever might have been the case, the attitude of the Buddhists towards the heretics whom they often called as aññatitthiyas, on the whole, does not appear to be compromising and accommodating. They are seen criticising the Nigaṇṭhas, their nearest rival, at several places in the Nikayas. Similarly almost all other teachers and leaders of the time interviewed with the Buddha are stated to have surrendered to his towering personality.
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The Buddhists, while they were so much critical of the heretics. and their doctrines, derived positive benefit from them and their teachings Thus they introduced the customs of Uposatha and Vassavasa (rain-retreal) to their Order at the instance of the heretics. At the same time, in their effort to keep themselves distinguished from the heretics, they also banned the use of a good number of articles of daily use simply because of their use among the heretics.1
Any way, they neither put a bar to the conversion of heretics -nor prescribed any probation for them prior to their conversion. They received them freely so long as their faith did not come out as a prominent sect of the time. No sooner they found themselves well-established than they introduced a probation of four months for persons coming from other religious order. Such persons intending entry into the Buddhist Order must duly observe the restrictions imposed on them. These restrictions which were six in number were more or less pertaining to moral life, training in the Dhamma, making them free from the influence of their previous persuasion and inculcating faith in the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha. Though these restrictions were obligatory for all, the Jatilas and the Sakyas were granted concession in this regards,
(b) The requisites
A person taking refuge in the Buddhist Order was made aware with the rules of nissayas (requisites) just after his conversion. The nissayas, ie 'the limited means of sustenance and support of life' were four, viz, pindiyalopabhojana-the use of food gathered from beggingtours, pamsukulaci vara-the use of dress prepared from rags gathered from dust-heaps and cemeteries, rukkhamulasena sana-the use of the root of a tree as residence, and pūtimuttabhesajja-the use of stinking- urine as medicine. In due course these were repaired with appropriate extraallowances (atirekalabha).
1. Vide Infra, p. 50, 53.
2. MV, 1. 30. 86--87, p. 73-76.