Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

Author(s): J C Sikdar
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 268

Sec. VII]
STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SÜTRÁ
243
household people, while the words 'dhāturattavattha' and 'vāgalavattha' are applied to signify the robe of an ascetic or a Bralımacārin.
The term "cela's denoted in general the garment of a layman or of a householder or of an ascetic.
DRESSES Male dress
In the society the males used to put on generally two clothes-one lower garment and one upper garment (egasāļiyansuttarāsaingan)', a girt or waist-band (nijjoya)", shoes (vāhaņāo)", and umbrella (āyarattam) to protect his head from the heat of the sunshine, while going on any journey. Female dress
The women belonging to the royal and rich aristocratic families used to wear generally four or five kinds of dresses, viz. different varieties of long lower garment (i. e. Sādi), such as, cīnarsu yavattha chinese silken cloth), khoma (cotton linen), vadaga (tussar silken cloth), pațța (silken cloth), dugulla (cloth made from the fibres of the Dugulla plant), pavara (a kind of lower dress),o a soft upper garment (u'tarijja) ; 11 jacket (kamcuya);"* girdle (manimehalā)" and inner or under garment (samdhibandhaņa)." Dresses of the Monks
The BHS clearly shows that the monks of all religious sects used various kinds of dresses. There is no instance in the text to cite that complete nudity was observed by them in their ascetic life. On the otherhand it bears ample evidences to show that even the Nirgrantha monks used to wear clothes, as it is revealed by the fact that Lord Mahāvīra himself renounced the world by putting on one piece of divine cloth
1 Bhs, 2, 2, 90.
2 10, 11, 9, 417-418. ? Ib, 11, 9, 417; 15, 1, 541. 4 16, 9, 33, 383; 15, 1, 541. $ 16, 9, 33, 385. 6 16, 9, 33, 383. 7 16, 9, 33, 385. 8 16, 9, 33, 385.
1b, 11, 11, 430. 0 Ib, 9, 33, 380. 11 Ib, 9, 33, 380 ; 9, 33. 384.
13 16, 9, 33, 381. 18 16, 9, 33, 380. 14 16, 9, 33, 384.