Vyavahara Bhashya Pithika

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Overview and Significance:

Willem B. Bollée's "Vyavahara Bhashya Pithika" is a significant contribution to the study of Jainism, offering an English translation and detailed annotations of a foundational Prakrit text on Jaina monastic jurisprudence and discipline. This work builds upon the scholarly foundation laid by Walther Schubring. The book is a valuable resource for understanding the intricate rules and regulations that governed the lives of Jaina monks and nuns, reflecting the movement's strong emphasis on asceticism and soteriology from its early stages.

Jain Monasticism and Literature:

Jainism's origins are deeply rooted in monasticism, with a primary focus on achieving liberation. This led to the development of elaborate codes of conduct for monks and nuns, as every action was believed to have ethical and spiritual implications. These rules evolved over time, incorporating local variations and adapting to social changes, eventually forming codified texts. These texts are a crucial part of Jaina literature, alongside didactic stories, doctrinal expositions, and critiques of other philosophical systems.

The "Cheya-suttas" and "Mula-suttas":

The Svetambara Canon includes monastic disciplinary texts classified under two main headings:

• Cheya-suttas (Cheda-sūtra) or "Degradation Manuals": These texts contain detailed codifications of monastic rules, exemptions from rules, and various punishments for transgressions. The term "cheya" itself refers to the "cutting down" or reduction of a monk's seniority or status in the monastic hierarchy, which may have given the category its name. These were intended for advanced monks.
• Mula-suttas (Mūla-sūtra) or "Fundamental Manuals": These texts are used to introduce novices to monastic jurisprudence and conduct.

The "Vyavahara" and its Commentary:

The Vavahāra (Vyavahāra-sūtra) is a key text within the Cheya-suttas, traditionally ascribed to Bhadrabāhu, dealing with monastic proceedings. The Vavahāra-bhāṣya (VavBh), an anonymous commentary on the Vavahāra, is presented in 183 verses. The "Vyavahara Bhashya Pithika" by Prof. Bollée is a commentary on this Vavahāra-bhāṣya.

Content and Scope of the "Vyavahara Bhashya Pithika":

The Pithika delves into various aspects of monastic conduct, including:

• Means of implementing good conduct: This encompasses actions related to the body, speech, thought, and overall behavior, along with rules for circumspection (saniti) and mental control (gupti).
• Social Interactions: The guidelines regulate a monk's relationships with other monks (differentiating by seniority and training), superiors, householders, and rulers, reinforcing the monastic order's hierarchical structure.
• Obedience and Devotion to the Guru: The text repeatedly emphasizes the importance of obedience, devotion, and care for one's guru, even including physical acts like massage.
• Ethical Framework: The five great vows (pañca-mahā-vvaya) and lesser vows form the ethical basis for the rules, with practical implications for daily monastic life.
• Intention and Guilt: The text highlights that only intentional acts of transgression incur guilt, considering factors like affections and yearnings.
• Punishments: Breaches of conduct are met with various punishments, including reduction of monastic seniority, temporary or permanent expulsion, and expiations. Punishments are meant to be proportionate to the transgression.
• Physical Well-being: Despite the disdain for corporeality, the text acknowledges the necessity of a fit body for pursuing ascetic goals.
• Confession Formula: The Pithika contains the nucleus of a confession formula.
• Inter-textual Differentiation: The author attempts to clarify the distinct roles and subject matter of the Kappa-sutta and Vavahara-sutta, which have overlapping content and originated independently before being grouped together.
• Analytical Framework: The author utilizes an analytical device to distinguish three aspects of actions: the process, the agent, and the object, mirroring similar structures found in other philosophical schools.
• Sectarian Polemics: Occasionally, the text displays a critical stance towards Buddhism and instructs monks to avoid contact with heretics.

Value and Importance of the Book:

"Vyavahara Bhashya Pithika" is an important resource for understanding:

• Jaina Asceticism: It provides valuable insights into the practices and principles of Jaina asceticism.
• Ancient Indian Practical Religiosity: The text serves as a crucial source for understanding religious life in ancient India.
• Comparative Studies: It is highly useful for comparative studies with similar monastic codes, such as the Buddhist vinaya.
• Accessibility: Professor Bollée's work makes these complex Jaina texts more accessible to an English-speaking readership.

In essence, Willem Bollee's "Vyavahara Bhashya Pithika" offers a scholarly and accessible exploration of the intricate disciplinary framework that underpinned early Jaina monasticism, providing crucial insights into the ethical, social, and spiritual life of its adherents.