Book Title: Trailokya Prakash
Author(s): Hemprabhsuri
Publisher: Indian House

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Page 36
________________ 田 visited cities or villages on their begging tours only for meals. That, too, was not frequent. They would preach the law of morality to those perso.s who happened to meet them. Apparently such monks did not stard in need of Astrology or medicine There was however another class of monks who thought that the samegna monk was no good to the world at large. The monk of this class were called cattvavasın 1 e living in a cauya or temple They argued that after having acquir. d perfect control over the senses, one should strive to do good to humanity Though a samigna and a caityavasın monk were on the same footing so far as self-control was concerned, yet a way the latter was super or to the former so far as the service to humanity was concerned It required a stronger mind to become a cattyuvasın than a samvigna monk. The latter was safe in his seclusion whereas the former had to move in society and to play with fire as it were. A little carelessness would drag him down and send him to a far degraded position. Consquently very to people came forward to assume the role of a caityavasın monk, because he had to exert tull self-control and yet serve hanary is if. 115 [ Wis to relieve and guide his tellow creatures that he treely took aid of medicine and astrology. In the course of time, however the caityavasın life attracted easy-going people and the whole organisation deteriorated Only a few noble souls escaped this deterioration. At present the successors of cantvavasins are called Pujya, Yatı, Gor etc Rajputana is their stronghold. From there they spread to other parts of India Among the Digambaras the Caity ivasin have come to be called Bhattarakas. They are just like Hindu mahints, trustees of charitable institutions in name, but sole managers, approaching to owners, in practice At one time the Pujyas were found in almost every town or city of the Punjab There was a network of their gaddis called upasrayas They were regarded as high class physicians and astrologers, and they extended their hand of service to all without distinction of caste or creed Many stories about their skill in these sciences can be heard even to day from the lips ot the few old people still alive. Thus it is proved beyond question that the Jains have always regarded Astrology as a very useful and important sciece They derived full benefit from it in ali the periods of history-from the days of the Tirthankaras down to the present day As a result of this numerous works on Astrology were written by the Jains in various inguages of India. So much importance was attached to Astrology that Jaina authors did not hesitate to borrow from foreign sources. The Trailokvaprakasa expressly states

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