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An Interpretation of Jaina Ethics
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vows, have to undergo Vadi Dikṣā once more, their seniority being completely, or partially, cut. In the former case, they have to begin the stage of Chedopasthāpanā Căritra once more, which has got its name from this cutting ( cheda ) of the seniority, and the act of ordaining the monk a new ( upasthāpanā).
According to Jaina Tradition, there are certain cases, when the novice at once took, and takes, Sarva-virati in its strict form, i.e., when only the great initiation is performed, and the standards of Sāmāyika and of Chedopasthāpanā Cāritras, as described, fall together. But purposes, being limited to certain far-off countries, of which only the scriptures know, and to former ages, when, in this country too, only the great initiation used to be performed.
The five great vows which form the basis of the two forms of Cāritra in question, are the following ones :
By the First Mahāvrata, the Sādhu vows to avoid injuring life in even its slightest form. This explains why a Jaina Sādhu does not touch green plants, nor unboiled water, nor fire and light, and why he even avoids using artificial light, viz., because all these forms of life, even in the most subtle manifestations, would suffer in some way by the touch of the human body. The five Samitis are splendidly fit to help the monk in keeping this Vrata.
By the Second Mahāvrata, he promises to avoid telling even the slightest ‘Untruth', but, under the silent reservation that, by speaking truth, the higher interests of non-injury must not be endangered. This conception is, by-the-bye, very characteristic of the difference between Western and Indian Ethics, Western Ethics, which demands absolute truthfulness, without regard to its consequences, and Indian Ethics ( for this conception is not restricted to Jainism ), which places the principle of non-injury above all. It is well-known of what a high importance this factor is, in the intercourse of Indians and Europeans with each other and in the judgement of each others' peculiarities.
By the third Mahāvrata, the Sādhu promises to avoid appro
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| SR No. | 001785 |
| Book Title | Charlotte Krause her Life and Literature |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Shreeprakash Pandey |
| Publisher | Parshwanath Vidyapith |
| Publication Year | 1999 |
| Total Pages | 674 |
| Language | English, Hindi, Gujarati |
| Classification | Book_English, Biography, & Articles |
| File Size | 11 MB |