I. Preamble.
II. Survey of Jaina Research.
III. The Canon.
IV. Jurisprudence: Source texts for it.
V. The Spirit of Monastic Rules
VI.. Meaning of Transgressions and
Exceptions.
I. Preamble
I am indeed grateful to you for the
honor you have done me in inviting me to place before such a distinguished
gathering my views regarding Jaina monastic jurisprudence. I am quite
conscious of the fact that I happen to be as yet a novice in the field of
Jainology when compared to the stalwarts in the field. I would, however,
not offer an apology on that account. On the contrary, taking inspiration
from the work of the giants in the field, I would try to follow their
footsteps with youthful confidence.
II. Survey of Jaina Research
You are all aware that the days when
Jainism was taken to be an offshoot of Brahmans are a thing of the
past�and rightly so. For in recent years, especially during the last fifty
years, immense literature pertaining to Jainology has been brought to
light. However, the first gleanings of Jainism in English came as early as
1809' when Col. Mackenzie gave us "The Account of the Jainas". This
was followed by a couple of others, which, however, do not deserve any
serious notice at all. It took nearly three-quarters of a century after
Mackenzie, when Baler gave us his masterly presentation of "Indische
Sekte den Jainas" in 1887. This seems to have opened up a new interest
in Jaina studies and in the following decade or so critical editions of
the canonical texts of the Jaina Svetambaras Agama were
brought out.
The opening up of the present
century saw the development of scholarly interest in Jainology among
foreign and Indian scholars. The researches were more homogeneous and
planned rather than sporadic. Unlike the early attempts of the previous
century as evidenced by the edition of Kalpasutra by Stevenson
(1848), the fragments of the Bhagavati by Weber (1886) and the
German rendering of the Abhidhana-Cintamani by Bothlingk (1847),
the publications during our present century appear to be more copious and
systematic. Save for the biased account by Mrs. Stevenson (1915) who could
not find and understand the heart of Jainism, the other works pertaining
to Jainology were masterly, the most brilliant amongst them being "Die
Lehre der Jainas" by Schuring (1935)
The above account need not be taken to
emphasize that work pertaining to Jainism was solely restricted to foreign
scholars only. Side by side, in India itself a galaxy of scholars
contributed to the study of Jainism. For along with Jacobi, Hertel,
Hoernle, Schubring, Glasenapp, Guerinot, Alsdore Leurann, Weber Basham,
and Charpentier, Dr. Upadhyle, P. L. Vaidya, Muni Jinavijaya, Pt.
Sukhalalji, K. P. Jain, Prof. Kapadia, Dr. Hiralal Jaini, Pt. Nathu Ram
Premi�to mention only a few amongst the many�have been solely responsible
for making available to the world of scholars a mine of information
regarding Jainism. Institutions like the Agamodaya Samiti, the
Manikchandra Digambaras Jaina Granthamala, the Devendrakirti
Granthamala, the Singhi Jaina Granthamala, and others have been helpful in
sponsoring critical editions of several Jaina texts, and thus have rightly
earned the gratitude of scholars.
Besides the texts and treatises, several
pattavalis and thousands of epigraphs have been brought to light
during the last fifty years, as a result of which the picture of the
economic, religious, social and cultural development of Jainism is
emerging in clearer form. It is needless to list the persons and the
institutions that have been responsible for this, for these are well
known.
Jainism offers a rich field for new
research in yet one more field; and that is the vast mass of manuscripts
which lie deposited in scores of Jaina Bhandaras of all sects. I
had the privilege of visiting quite a few of these and I was amazed at
this sealed wealth. The Bhandaras have been a peculiar institution of
signal importance. It is really remarkable how several of these have been
fed and fostered with devotion and understanding by the Jaina laity.
III. The Canon
The foregoing summary would at once
convince one of the immense work that has been done and the much more that
yet remains to be done. However, that which has been done is helpful, if
not enough, in studying the Jaina monastic institution, its day to day
working and the rules and discipline that governed such daily routine,
which forms the topic of these lectures.
In the light of this theme it will at
once be agreed that the sole basis for the building up of the structure of
Jaina monastic jurisprudence is the canon as acknowledged by the
Svetambaras and the Angas, Angabhahyas and Anuyogas of
the Digambaras.
Before entering into a detailed
discussion of the sources for Jaina monastic jurisprudence�both of the
Svetambaras and the Digambaras�it would be worthwhile to note a
few points regarding the canonical texts, their development and nature.
It is needless to go into the
controversy regarding the canon. It is well known that the Digambaras
do not acknowledge the texts of the canon as approved by the
Svetambaras. As is well known the story of the canon of the
Svetambaras is the story of redaction�s, collections and loss. The
Council of Pataliputra of Mauryan times, another of Mathura of about the
4th Century AD and those at Valabhi of the 5th and 6th Century A.D. were
responsible for the collection and redaction of the canonical texts. It is
not unnatural if during such a long period some texts, especially the
Puvvas were lost for good. From a historical point of view, it is not
possible to say what texts formed the canon at the Pataliputra Council and
what was the final form at the Valabhi Council. Thus a historical
treatment of the development of the canon is not practicable. This hampers
a great deal in studying the various facets, including that of monastic
jurisprudence, of Jainism. What remains ultimately, in a broad sense, is
the picture of Jainism up to the 6th century A.D. and that succeeding it.
