Studies in Buddhist and Jaina Monachism

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

Page 98

PABBAJJĀ AND UPASAMPADA
77
Listen to me, Sirs, Mr. X desires upasampada from Venerable A. He is free from the disqualifications and duly provided with almsbowl and robes. Mr. X requests the assembly for upasampada with Venerable A as his upajjhāya. The Sangha ordains Mr. X with Venerable A as his upajjhāya. Those who approve should keep silence and those who do not, should speak.
The Sangha has ordained Mr. X with Venerable A as his upajjhāya. The Sangha approves it, therefore it is silent."
Thereto, the procedure is virtually completed.
Thereafter, the whole formula (sangiti) which mentions the season, date and the accurate time of conversion should be repeated to him so that he might estimate his spiritual age correctly. Lastly the four resources (nissaja) should be told.2
The Jaina sources, on the other hand, attribute a long tradition of twenty-four Tīrt harkaras to the Jaina Order. But at the very outset. it may be pointed out that they, though elaborate, do not trace as a gradual and systematic origin and development of the Jaina monastic system in general and that of the process of initiation and ordination in particular as the Buddhist sources do in its own case. It is, therefore, difficult to say whether the twenty-four Tirthaikaras or any one of them, like the Buddha, considered the inmates of the world ignorant and unworthy of his sermon and denied to reveal it to them on that account. So also, none of the Tirthaikaras is mentioned to have received any person to his fold through a definite process or to have laid down any direct procedure for confe. rring initiation and ordination.
But despite the fact, there are instances of persons who embraced Jainism in the presence of one or the other Tirthagkara. Mahāv.ra. the last in the list of the twenty-four Tirtha ukaras, is however alleged to have preached his first sermon to the gods but without any effect.4 The first person to be blessed with the sermon of Mahivira was Gautarna Indrabhūti and his colleagues among men and Vasumati (Candanabāla) among women. Prominent among those who joined
MY, 1, 68. 125-26, pp. 97-91. 2. Ibid, 1. 69. 128, p. 100.
The futility of Mahavia's sermon hirts to the incapability of the gods to
receive it.--Ţhān, 777, p. 523b. 4. Ibid, 777, p. 523b; Comm to Țhän, p. 524a. 5. Tirthankara Vardhamana, pp. 51-52.