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APPENDIX 5 LOCATION WISE MONSOON HALTS OF
BHAGAVAN MAHAVIRA Note - For the ascetic (Muni) unbound who seeks the path of redemption it is not advisable to live permanently at one place, so that he may be saved from the attachment and other limitations and from slack conduct and for the good of himself and others, it would not be worth for him to stay at one place for a long time. Hence the male as well as female ascetics have to move from place to place on foot for eight months as per the scriptural command but there is a cominand that they have to stay at one place for the four months of the monsoon to avoid violence and other evils and to speed up spiritual practices for the purification of his or her life. Bhagavan Mahavira who followed this routine moved from place to place for eight months without any dress, without any possession and observed silence and stayed at one place during the monsoon. During this period he practised penance, self-control and meditation and at the same time went through various sufferings and ordeals with constant equanimity and went on eliminating the evil effects of actions which veiled the light of absolute enlightenment and finally when such evil effects were completely washed off, he attained absolute enlightenment (three-fold temporal enlightenment) desired for many years (or many births consequently). The Jain ascetics have their particular method of calculating the monsoons. The list of such monsoons from the first monsoon after the initiation to the monsoon of absolute redemption (Nirvana) is presented here in accordance with Kalpasutra text.
3 monsoons In Nalanda
State of 2, 34, 38 (Suburb) 25
Magadha 6 monsoons At the city
State of of Mithila
Videha?? 36. 39, 40 1 monsoon At Pava
State of Madhyama- Magadha
Pavapuri 42 APPENDIX 6 DURATION AND PLACES OF THE LONG, HARD
PENANCE BY BHAGAVAN MAHAVIRA Note - As gold is refined through fire, the soul is per sectly and finally refined through penance based on for bearance. Such refinement is called refinement of inclina. tions. External purity is essential for such refinement which makes the body healthy, calm and steady, and the mind may also become pure to a certain extent, external purity also results into the refinement of inclinations. Thus external purity is the means while refinement of inclinations is the end. The end is as pure as are the means.
For both the purities mentioned above the Jain scrip tures have prescribed rigorous practices both external and internal. Ordinarily, for external purity external rigorous practices and for internal purity internal rigorous practices are mostly prescribed. The external rigorous practices include (1) fasting. (2) consuming less food than required, (3) Limiting the desires for necessities of life, (4) being not carried away by tastes, (5) welcoming physical discomforts and (6) remaining engrossed in controlling the senses.
The internal rigorous practices include (1) penitence, (2) courtsey. (3) service to others. (4) studying scriptures, (5) meditation and (6) to get absolved and experience oneness with the soul while remaining steady in a physical posture leaving the attachment of the body.
The refinement of internal life leads to the subsidence of the evil attitudes of the senses which obstruct the finding out of the path of redemption. Not to disregard the rigorous external practices which are based on knowledge and discretion has been looked upon as compulsory so that evil desires may subside, the unsteadiness of the mind may be relieved, evil desires may be eliminated and violent actions may be avoided. It is still more essential to undertake rigorous practices so that our previous Karmas may be eliminated and we may achieve redemption through spiritual purity and refinement. The following table will give an idea about the parallel rigorous practices of both these types.- Whatever facts available have been noted herein.
Number of monsoon
Place
The State
Serial number of
the monsoon
1 monsoon
At Asthika Gam23
Videha territory24 State of Anga
2 monsoon
At Champa
3. 12
1 monsoon At Prishtha Champa
2 monsoon
At Bhadrika
1 monsoon
At alambhika
State of Kashi
1 monsoon At Praneeta-Bhumi
(Anarya State named Vajrabhumi)
1 monsoon
At Shravasti
State of Kunala
6 monsoons
At Vaishali
State of Videha
At Vanijya Gram
| 11, 14, 20, 31, 32, 35
Time 15, 17, 21,
23, 28, 30 8. 13, 16, 18 At the 19, 22, 24, 29
time of
initiation 33, 37, 41
The
person The food Type of
Place of initiating item for rigorous Place breaking the breaking practice
fast
breaking fast
of fast Chhattha i.e. Ksha- Kollak
The
Milk-rice two days triya
utensil Sweet fasts28 Kunda
of Bahul Soup Brahmin was
11 monsoons
At the city of
Rajagriha
State of Magadha
used
23. The first fifteen days of the monsoon were passed at Moraka while the
remaining days were passed at the city of Asthika which was originally
known as Vardhamana 24. The word Janapada was used both for a state and a territory, 25. Avashyaka sutra mentions a monsoon, halt here. 26. According to the oral tradition he had continuously stayed for 14 monsoons
at a part of Nalanda, but as a matter of fact 14 monsoons were divided bet ween Nalanda (3) and Rajagriha (11) Nalanda was an important northern
suburb of Rajagriha n. The city of Mithila can also be called Mithila Desha as well. At one time
it was the capital of Videha.
2. Two fasts (Chhattha) are observed each at the time of initiation, absolute
enlightenment and redemption, one fast being on the previous day while
the second being on the day connected with the event. 2. An ascetic may use certain vessels, according to principles. To endorse
this view a vessel was used for breaking the fast and that too at the house of
a householder. Bhagavan Mahavira kept no vessels 30. Where a Tirthankara breaks his fast gods signify the glory of alms by
showering fragrant water, cloth and millions of golden coins.
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