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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SECTION Í PABBAJJĀ AND UPASAMPADĀ (a) Pabbajjā and Upasampadā Connotated 'Pabbajja'' (Skt. pravrajya and Pkt. pavvajja) truly speaking is a very ancient term of Indian monachism. So is ‘upasampadā' or 'uvatthavaņā'. The literal meaning of the term pabbajja is to renounce the household life and to go forth into houseless state.'2 Thus it can safely be said that pabbazia originally implied to join a religious order may it be Brahmapical, Jaina, Buddhist or any other. Similarly upasampada means the recognition of the admitted (pabba jita) as a duly qualified member of the sect or school joined by the candidate. But it should be borue in mind that every Indian religious organisation adopted these terms according to its own. convenience and suitability, and so it modified and limited their connotation and scope accordingly.
Thus the act of admission into any religious institution is termed pabbaijā and its confirmation ubasampada. But as already stated, no sooner than the Buddhists adopted the term pabbajja, they limited its scope. So Prof. Oldenberg aptly remarks that 'the pabbajia is the going out from a prior state, from the lay-life or from a monastic sect holding another faith'.' In one word, pabbajja, to the Buddhists, stands for taking upon the life of a Buddhist friar. Similarly upasam. pada means 'extra or exceeding gain'', that is the gain of being confirmed as a fully accredited member of the Buddhist Order. The confirmation of a monk or a nun is so termed, for no sooner he or she is ordained than is allowed to avail all the privileges belonging to the Order.
More or less the same is true of the Jaina Order also as it holds that 'pavva jia is going out (pavvayaram) from sin (i.e. sinful activities) to the activity of pure conduct, i.e. to join the Jaina Order by giving
1. Nikkhamana, cāga and dikkha, etc. are often referred to as synonyms of
pabbajjā. 2. Cf. 'kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriya pabbajjan ti', and
'samaņaşsa artie murde bhavittā agārão anagariyam pavvaissai'. 3. Oldenberg, Buddha, p. 347. 4. 'From this time he is regarded as an upasampa (i. e. upasampanna) from upa,
exceeding, and sampada, gain, advantage-Prof. Hardy, Eastern Monachism, p. 45.
