________________
416
The Unknown Pilgrims
3. The voice of the Sadhvis
In the course of one conversation, a learned guruni considered as liberal in her gaccha told me how grateful she was to Acārya Vinoba Bhave and his women disciples who, a few years back, launched a national movement, with local branches, called striśakti or the energy (power) of womankind. This movement is concerned with womankind who has for long centuries been relegated and confined to the house and permitted, except very exceptionally, no active part in social life.17 This movement sets out to help girls and women, especially in the rural areas, to become aware of their latent potential and then to help them take initiatives in their personal lives for the service of society at large, particularly in the struggle against the injustice to which so many women and children have been subjected. Strisakti is the sign of the start of a new era in which, little by little, women are beginning to assert themselves in all social spheres.
Just when this movement was taking birth, there was also coming into being among the sadhvis, thanks to certain ācāryas and gurunis and to some enlightened śrāvakas and śrāvikās, an awakening of consciousness of the necessity for more regular, deeper and broader studies both for the candidates for dikṣā and for the sadhvis. There had been, well before this period, certain heroic gurunis and sädhvis who, having themselves blazed the trail, were followed by their own disciples, but these were isolated cases. Now, however, for the past several years, we are witnessing a common effort towards openness in certain sampradayas, among the Kharataragaccha, Sthanakavāsi and Terapanthi sadhvis. The initiatives vary: In certain groups some sādhvis pursue higher studies and then teach their young companions under the direction of the guruni; in other groups, the vairaginis, or candidates for dikṣā, and several sadhvis are sent to a college for vairāginis and sädhvis.18 Among the Tapagaccha sadhvis, however,
17 Cf. P 87 ff.
18 Cf. P 466 ff. These initiatives are still very isolated ones. From an enquiry conducted among 100 sadhvis, most of them Sthānakavāsi, on the subject of the need for more advanced study the following replies may be noted: 60 were desirous of solid teaching and training; 17 also wanted to learn English well in order to be able to communicate with girls and women
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
