Svetambara Mahendra Suri has a chapter ‘Digambara-mat-Vichara’ in his Shatpadi – (V.
271 = 214 A.D., based on drapery, was now on the way to acceptance after a millennium !Īshadhar, the representative Acharya par excellence of the 13th century Digambarism the personal observer of the Bhattarak aberrations in his samaj, has expressed his sentiments the tika of the shlokas in ‘pathetic’ words saying that “Corrupt Pundits and wicked (watha Munis have defiled the pure teachings of the Jina”. As history repeat itself, the first Svetambara schism of V. 1 These examples led them as a class to take drapery for granted. 1300 = 1243) has it that “in this Dark Age, god sermonizing Munis are seen here and there twinkling like glow-worm ( jugnju) – Alas !” The process adopted by these Munis may be like this – they were wont to approach the towns for food where they had now started tarrying, ending with residence in populated places resulting the establishment of dharma pattas of the bhattaraks of which the first patta is supposed to have come into existence in Delhi, the capital of the alien Turks for whose sake the Munis, applying the Apavad not only draped their nudity and obliged the harem ladies by their entry into inner apartment. “Present-day Munis, may also the adored (Sashastil : V. 1016).Ĭertain evidence, available in the thirteenth century, indicates that mathvasi tradition may have crystallised in the eleventh and twelfth centuries among Digambaras for example Pandit Ashadhar in his Angara Dharmamrita (V. 9th century) : “Wonder it is that naked people are still available in the Kali Age.” ( Upasakadhyayana : V.
Nevertheless characteristic instances of sluggishness had begun to be pin-pointed in Digambara literature simultaneously with that of Svetambaras during the centuries of the Early Medieval Period for example “People, Sadhu-charactered, are scanty like enanent munis alas! ascetic munis too, approach the villages for night-rest just like deer.” (Atmanushasan : V. No such movement, parallel to the Svetambara Vidhimarga, is discernible in the history of Digambara Church. The Vidhichaitya movement against the Chaityavasis started in the eleventh century took half millennium to bear fruit as late as the end of fifteenth century in Gujarat and Rajasthan i.e. of the Christian era, that a shastrartha had to be convened in Patan (Gujarat) to obtain removal of ban against the entry of basatikavasis in this capital city in the eleventh century. Yet the influence of these mathavasi sadhus was on the increase to such an extent since the 8th century A.D. Notwithstanding the emergency permission awarded to Svetambara sadhus for being clothed, nevertheless they have been ordained to live outside populated places, eat food unsolicited and keep themselves away from possessions ( parigraha) of all kinds. ‘Bhattarak’ has been defined as one who is “well up in all shastras and kalas, organizer of gachchhas, large-hearted, influential and revealing.”
As a matter of fact, the word ‘Bhattarak’ connotes the distinction of a Maharaja, literator, Muni, pujya or deva or acharya. Bhattarakas in the Digambara community are the counterparts of the Svetambara Chaityavasins whom we have already met in the first section of this article as those monks who, fallen from the ideals of the great vanavasis (forset dwellers), had flocked to towns, residing in temples or chaityas or monasteries leading the life of a householder, yet calling themselves ascetics.
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