________________
The Followers of the Ever Growing One
169
vandana (ritual salutation) to a Bhattāraka.99 If, however, one goes back several centuries in history, one will find that, in fact and for the most part, the Bhattārakas appear to have gradually supplanted the ācāryas and thus were to be found fulfilling the functions of these la latter. 100
Organisation
The Bhattārakas were divided into three principal groups, which were subdivided into śākhās, regional branches, each with its own headquarters.
- The Senagapa: with headquarters in Mahărăștra. - The Balātkāragana: with headquarters in Rājasthāna, Madhya Pradeśa, Mahārāştra, Gujarāta. • The Kāșthāsamgha: with headquarters in Panjāba, Madhya Pradeśa, Mahārāștra. 101
These few facts about the Bhattārakas shed some light for us on the circumstances in which the aryikās mentioned in the religious works or inscriptions lived their lives. It must be added that the documents concerning the āryikā disciples of the Bhattārakas are not treated
99 The Bharțāraka of Mūļabidure, Śri Charukirti P. Svāmi told me that he had never considered the question. Aryikā Jñānamati, whom I consulted on this subject, was at first very definite: "An āryikā can not be given dikṣā by a Bhattāraka". Then, after studying the texts, she realised that this had existed in the past.
100 We cannot treat fully here this very complicated subject. It is sufficient to quote the reply of Professor Joharapurkar to my question in this regard: "This notion of a Muni's and Aryikā's superiority to a Bhațțăraka is a íodern one which arose after the revival of Digambara Muni Samgha. Bhattārakas
tury and onward were successors of ancient Acaryas and claimed the same authority. That is why Aryikās could be their disciples. Bhattarakas claimed that they were observing all the five mahăvratas. See Anekāla, December 64 (vol. XVII, p. 231.)."
101 Cf. Bhatt Samp, Prastāvanā, pp. 6-7. The Senagana and the Balātkāragana were offshoots of the Mülasaṁgha of the South. The Kästhāsamgha was noted for its heterodox vicws which had little connection with the true essence of the doctrine; cf. JSK I, pp. 341-342.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
