Life in Ancient India as Depicted in Jain Canons

SR No.: 011077
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jagdishchandra Jain
Publisher: New Book Company
Publication Year: 1947
Total Pages: 429
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 16 MB

Page 134

132
LIFE IN ANCIENT INDIA
The Nigganthiniis were allowed to use the following clothes: uggahanantaga, which was used to cover their privities, it was like a boat in shape, broad in the middle and thin at the sides, and was made of soft cloth. Patta was tied by fasteners and was sufficient to cover the waist; it was four fingers in width. It covered both ends of the uggahanantaga and was like a wrestler's tight short (janghiya in Hindi) The third was addhoruga, which was worn over the uggahanantaga and patta covering the waist; its shape was aftci the style of the wrestlers and it was firmly tied on both sides over the breasts. The fourth was calanka which covered the knees and was unsewn; it was worn after the manner of the bamboo top dancers. The fifth was abbhintaranıyamsın; beginning from the waist it reached half length of the thighs Generally it was worn by the nuns to avoid being seen naked at the time of changing garments and becoming the laughing stock of the people. The sixth was bahiniyamisini, which, beginning from the waist and reaching down the ankles was tied with string to the waist.
Then the following garments were worn in the upper part of the body by the nuns: kañcuka, which measured two and half hands (the standard being one's own fore-arm) in length and one in width, and was firmly tied on both sides on the waist and covered the breasts. Another was ukkacchi (aupakaksiki); it was a garment like kañcuka, square in shape on the right side; it measured one and a half hands, and covering the breasts and the back was knotted on the left shoulders The third was vegacchiya (varkaksiki); it was knotted on the right shoulders, otherwise it was like aupakakşıkı. The fourth was sanghata; they were four in number; one measured two hands, two three hands, and one four hands. The first was to be worn in the cloister (pratisraya), the second and the third out of door, and the last for assemblies (samavasarana).118 The fifth was khandhakaran which was like a wrapper fourteen hands in length, square in shape and was worn to save oneself from the strong wind. It covered the shoulder and the body. This was used to dwarf the stature of the beautiful nuns by placing it at the back and trying it with aupakakşıki and varkakşıki.117
Then the shoes of different shapes formed important articles of costume. The Brhatkalpa Bhasya prescribes the use of shoes for the Jain monks, specially when they were on tours, in case of illness, whose feet were tender by nature, in fear of wild animals, those suffering from leprosy, piles or who were short sighted.118 Taliya shoes were fastened to the feet in order to protect onc's feet from thorns while travelling in night; with this kind of shoc a monk could travel fast. Usually the monks were allowed to wear single-soled (egapuḍa) shoes, but they could also use four-soled
110 The Aca (II. 5 1.364) mentions only four sanghalis, which shows that at the time of the author of the Brh. Bhasya, there was an increment in the number of wearing articles. 117 Brh, Bha 3 4082-91. and com.; also Aca. II, 5.1.364, 118 Brh. Bhd. 3. 3862.