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Dr. Charlotte Krause : Her Life & Literature
various parts, from the beautiful and sublime stanzas of certain Āgamas, or Sacred Writings, full of the spirit of sweet renunciation, down to the hymns and religious ballads (the "Sajjhais'), with their soft and touching world-weariness. [f ] The Five Cāritras
The last group of regulations prescribed for the attainment of Saṁvara, comprises the five Căritras, or steps of discipline for ascetics, and the discipline for laymen, as a kind of addendum, though, from the practical standpoint, one of highest import.
The first of the Cāritras of ascetics is the Sāmāyika Cáritra. It is being realized by the adoption of Sarva-virati, i.e., the complete giving up of all evil, with reference to doing it, causing it to be done, and approving of its having been done, by thought, word and action. In contra-distinction to the Sarva-virati of ascetics, the layman discipline is based on Deśa-virati, i.e., partial giving up of evil, as will be seen later.
On the stage of Sāmāyika Căritra, the aforesaid Sarva-virati is adopted only temporarily, and under the reservation that certain trespasses of its rules will not be counted as breaches, i.e., they will be liable to a milder form of atonement than positive breaches would be. The adoption of Sarva-virati in this mild form is the very entrance gate to monkhood, since it makes an ascetic, though not a full one, out of the novice. The latter promises solemnly, and under certain rites, to keep the five great vows of Sarva-virati, or the Mahāvratas. This solemn act of adopting the five great vows in their milder form, is called Laghu Dikṣā, i.e., small initiation.
If the novice proves true, within a certain period, he is promoted to the next step, the Chedopasthāpanā Cāritra, by being made adopt the Sarva-virati rules for life-time, and without any reservation. The rites under which this is done, are called 'Vadi Dikṣā', i.e., great initiation, by which the novice becomes a full ascetic, and from the date of which his seniority is counted.
Monks who have been punished for violations of the great
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