Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c12.s19.3

c12.s19.3

Every religious order of the samanas was a travelling school The furtherance of the cause of truth and knowledge in all branches of learning by open discussions was a remarkable feature of their educational and cultural activities. We read in the Bṛhatkalpa Bhāṣya that there were assemblies of disputants (vā dapurisā) where intricate discussions were held between the Jain monks and other ascetics, particularly the Buddhists If the disputant was weak in logic or philosophy, he was asked to go to another gaṇa to study further. After completing the studies, he came back, defeated his opponent and propagated the cause of religion.⁴⁷ We hear of an eccentric mendicant, who tied his belly with an iron-plate and holding a branch of the jambu tree, roamed about. He told people that to check the bursting of his belly with knowledge he had tied the iron-plate, and the branch of the jambu tree signified that there was nobody in Jambuddiva who could face him in argumentation.⁴⁸