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Essence of Jainism
Conventional Meaning of Pratikramana
The etymology of the word Pratikramana' is on these lines - Prati+kramana=Pratikramaņa. The meaning accordingly is 'to turn back.' But in view of the convention, the word is suggestive both of the fourth Āvašyaka as also the whole group of the six Āvasyakas. The word in this sense is so very popular that for all the Āvaśya. kas, the word Pratikramana is used. In practice and in the modern works, the words · Pratikramana' and · Āvašyaka' have become synonymous. This was not the case in the ancient works. The word is used in the sense of general Avašyaka in the modern works like 'Pratikramanagarbhabetu,' Pratikramanavidhi,' 'Dharmasangraha' ete. The Jains use the word constantly in the general sense of Avaśyaka.
(Darśan aur Cintan, pt. 2, pp. 174-185)
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