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Giving and receiving food, vessels, and shelter to sadhus and sadhvis is important, as explained in the Yoga Shastra, Third Light, verse 87, the foundation pillar. Clothes and other things that benefit the body should be given to sadhus. For the purpose of consuming grass (filling the stomach), to prevent the consumption of fire (instead of using fire for warmth), for the practice of Dharma and Shukla meditation, to alleviate the suffering of a sick sadhu, to dispose of a deceased sadhu, and so on, clothes are helpful and beneficial in observing restraint. The same is said elsewhere. The learned scholar, Shri Umaswati, has also said, "Without clothes, a sadhak is disturbed by cold, wind, sun, dust, mosquitoes, etc., which leads to distractions in their samyaktva and samyak meditation." For these and similar reasons, vessels are also considered useful. They are helpful in bringing food as alms, separating impure food from alms, preventing the killing of living beings by avoiding food containing them, and safely and easily collecting and disposing of spoiled rice or water that may accidentally be included in alms. It is also said that Jinendra Bhagwan instructed the use of vessels to protect the six-bodied beings, and they should be used to prevent food and water from falling and causing harm to living beings. The service of food, water, etc., to the sick, children, elderly, new sadhus, those who wear clothes, the great gurus, those who are intolerant, those who live alone, and those who are without attainment, can only be done if they have vessels. (O. Ni. 691-92) Because there is no restraint involved in bringing food and other things in a vessel.
Here, the question arises: It is not heard that the Tirthankaras used clothes or vessels, so shouldn't their followers follow their character? It is also said, "Jarisan Guruling Sissen Vi Tarisen Hoyavvan," meaning the disciple should follow the conduct of the guru. In response, it is said that the hands of the Tirthankaras are free from holes, and not even a drop of water falls from them. Instead, their hair rises high, reaching the sun and moon. They, with the power of their four or five knowledges, know perfectly well whether the food is contaminated with living beings or not, and whether the water contains living beings or not, and they only consume what is pure. Therefore, it is not beneficial for them to use vessels. It is said that all Tirthankaras wear clothes during their initiation. All twenty-four Tirthankaras take initiation with one devadusya, which does not categorize them as belonging to another linga, the householder linga, or the kula linga. (A. Ni. 217) The great sages have said that all the Tirthankaras who have been in the past, who will be in the future, and who are currently wandering, all preach the Dharma with clothes and vessels, and they all take initiation wearing one devadusya cloth. I worship all of them who have taken initiation, who will take initiation, and who have taken initiation. After taking initiation, they endure all the hardships and afflictions, so they no longer need clothes. If their clothes are lost somehow, they do not take them again. The statement that a disciple should follow the conduct of the guru should be understood in this context. It is like a common elephant imitating the Airavata elephant. A sadhak who wants to imitate the Tirthankaras cannot live in a monastery, residence, or shelter, cannot consume food that is partially cooked due to circumstances, cannot get an oil massage when sick, cannot use a grass mat or keep grass, cannot keep a kamandal, cannot live with many sadhus, cannot preach while being a recluse, and cannot initiate sadhus and sadhvis (make disciples). Because the Tirthankaras stay away from all these things. But those so-called sadhus who want to imitate the Tirthankaras do all these things.
During the rainy season, if a sadhu goes outside to a field or somewhere else, and it starts raining, a blanket is necessary to protect aquatic living beings. If a young, old, or sick sadhu has to go out for alms during the rainy season, wearing a blanket on their body prevents the killing of aquatic living beings. If they have to go outside during the rainy season for urination or defecation, wearing a blanket prevents the killing of aquatic living beings. Here, the question arises: If they don't wear a blanket and use an umbrella to cover themselves while walking in the rain, what is the fault? The solution is given in the Agam scripture, "Chattass Dharanattha" (Das. 3/4), which states that using an umbrella is inappropriate.| SR No. | 002418 |
| Book Title | Yogshastra |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Jayanandvijay |
| Publisher | Lehar Kundan Group |
| Publication Year | |
| Total Pages | 494 |
| Language | Sanskrit, Hindi |
| Classification | Book_Devnagari |
| File Size | 24 MB |