Lesson - 18
Terapanth
Acharya Bhikshu was initiated as a monk in Sthanakvasi sect, and continued his sadhana for eight years. Due to the differences of opinion as regards precepts and practices, he dissociated himself from there. He had no idea of setting any new organization. His only aim was to follow the correct code of conduct.
When he parted company from the Sthanakvasi sect, he was accompanied by thirteen laymen followers. Once it so happened, at Jodhpur those thirteen men were performing Samayika in a shop. Fatehmalji Singhi, a minister of Jodhpur city happened to pass by that route on horseback. He enquired of the laymen, “why are you performing Samayika here?” In reply, the laymen reported, “our guru has abandoned the sthanaka; that is why we are performing samayika here.” At the insistence of diwanji, they narrated in detail the whole incident to him. A poet was standing nearby. Keeping the number of thirteen in mind, he instantly composed a couplet:
Sasdha-sadha ro gilo kare, te to apa-apa ro manta, sunajyo re sahara ra loka e terapanthi tanta
At that time Acharya Bhikshu was staying near Bilada. When he came to know of it, he instantly got up from his seat and addressed God with folded hands- “this is tera (thy) pantha (path). This is the path shown by you.
We are only the followers of this path.”
Interpreting the word Terapantha in another way, he said, one who observes the thirteen rules is a Terapanthi.
Thirteen Rules
Terapantha stands on the firm footing of thirteen tenets-five great vows, five samitis (careful action) and three guptis (self-control).
Five (Mahavratas) great vows
| 1. | Ahimsa | Non-violence (not to cause injury to life) |
2. | Satya | Truth (not to tell a lie) |
3. | Asteya | Non-stealing (not to steal) |
4. | Brahmacharya | Celibacy (not to have physical contact with humans of opposite sex.) |
5. | Aparigraha | Non-possessiveness (not keep money and other belongings and to give up the feeling of possessivenes). |
Five samitis (careful action)
| 1. | Irya samiti | To walk carefully. |
2. | Bhasha samiti | To speak thoughtfully. |
3. | Eshana samiti | To try to get food and water through alms carefully. |
4. | Adana-Nikshepa samiti | To utilise and keep clothes and other things of daily use carefully. |
5. | Paristhapana samiti | To excrete carefully. |
Three Guptis (self-control)
| 1. | Mano gupti | Inhibition (control) of mind |
2. | Vak gupti | Inhibition of speech. |
3. | Kaya gupti | Inhibition of body. |
Thus, the sect propounded by Acharya Bhikshu came in vogue as Terapantha. Acharya Bhikshu now came to be acknowledged as the founder of Terapanth.
Question:
- Who was the founder of Terapantha?
- Where did the nomenclature of terapantha happen and what was its reason?
- Enumerate the thirteen principles.
- Explain the term eshana samiti.
- Write down the name of gupti that means restraint in speech.
Fill in the blanks:
A. Acharya Bhikshu was initiated in the sect of................
B. When Acharya Bhikshu dissociated from Raghunathji, there were.... monks.
(Note) Students must memorize the couplet and the thirteen tenets mentioned in this lesson.
