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Chapter - Sutra 17
Those who are holders of small vows are referred to as "Agaris."
These vows include the vows of directional renunciation, local renunciation, non-violent renunciation, samayika, fasting, partial fasting, and the hospitality portion, and they are also fulfilled by these vows.
Moreover, they are also practitioners of the austerity of mortality.
A householder who does not completely accept non-violence and similar principles but has a disposition of renunciation is considered to be a householder in the limit of the householder's conduct, and according to his renunciation, he partially accepts these vows; such a householder is called a non-vow observing shravak.
The vows that are fully accepted are called mahavrata, and because of the completeness in their acceptance, a distinction is not made in the oath of acceptance; but when the vows are accepted partially, due to the diversity of partiality, their oath is taken in various forms. Nevertheless, without going into the diversity of each small vow, the sutrakara has generally described the householders' vows of non-violence and such as a single small vow. There are five such small vows, which are fundamental and hence called 'mool guna' or 'mool vrata,' as they are the first foundation of renunciation. For the protection, nourishment, and purity of this fundamental vow, a householder may also accept several other vows.