Disclaimer: This translation does not guarantee complete accuracy, please confirm with the original page text.
## The Nature of the Eight Precepts (Aṣṭa Pravacana)
**The Nature of the Mother**
Yogaśāstra, the first light, verses 35 and 36, describe **samyak cāritra** (right conduct) as effort. **Samiti** is the nature of right conduct and the characteristic of **guptī** (secrecy) is the withdrawal from conduct. Both of these have the same characteristic. ||34||
Now, the names of **samiti** and **guptī** are mentioned. ||35||
**Īryā-bhāṣaiṣaṇādāna-nikṣepautsarga-sañikāḥ | Pañcāhuḥ samititisro, guptīstriyogani-grahāt ||35||**
**Meaning:** Ī-samiti, bhāṣā-samiti, eṣaṇā-samiti, ādāna-nikṣepa-samiti, and uccāra-prasravaṇa-khelajalla-siṅghāṇapariṣṭhāpanikā (utsarga) samiti; these are the five samitis, and there are three guptīs which restrain the three yogas; these are said to be of three types, namely, mano-guptī (mental secrecy), vacana-guptī (verbal secrecy), and kāya-guptī (physical secrecy).
**Explanation:** The above five samitis are right conducts. The restraint of the activity of the mind, speech, and body (āgama) by the method, i.e., stopping the conduct of the yoga of the mind, speech, and body while going on the right path, is called guptī by the Tirthankara Bhagavān.
Now, the characteristic of **īryā-samiti** is mentioned. ||36||
**Lokātivahīte mārge, cumbite bhāsvadāṃśubhiḥ | Janturakṣārthamālokya, gatirīryā matā satām ||36||**
**Meaning:** The movement done by the virtuous ones, looking down on the path where people come and go, and where the rays of the sun fall, for the protection of living beings, is considered **īryā-samiti**. ||36||
**Explanation:** While going for necessary work, the initiated sadhu, in order to give protection to all living beings, both mobile and immobile, and for the protection of his own body, looks from the front part of his feet to the area of the measure of a dhūsra (a unit of measurement) while walking, this is called **īryā-samiti**. The meaning of **īryā** is conduct, movement, and the meaning of **samiti** is to do right conduct. That is, doing right conduct in the act of walking is called **īryā-samiti**. The implication is that the muni, with his hands (on the ground), looks at the ground, protecting seeds, greenery, living beings, water, earth-bodied beings, etc., while walking on the ground. If there are stones, pillars, mud without water, a river, etc., on the path, and there is another path, then he should not go on that path. (Daśa. Vai. 5/3-4) Movement is done on the path, therefore, the characteristic of the path is mentioned, "The path on which the rays of the sun touch, which is very active and uninterrupted due to people coming and going." That is, the path should be clearly visible, and the rule is to walk on that path. The muni does not harm the six-bodied living beings by the path mentioned in the first adjective. One should not walk on a bad path either, for this reason, it is said that walking on the path mentioned by the people at night, flying beings coming from above are harmed. In darkness, there is a possibility of harm to the living beings and oneself due to the living beings coming under the feet or by a poisonous creature. Therefore, to prohibit walking on such a path, the second adjective says to walk in the rays of the sun. If a muni walking like this harms a living being, even then, he does not incur the sin of killing a living being. It is said that:
**1] Uccāliyammi pāe iriyāsamiāss sankamatṭhāe | Vāvajjejj kulingī marejj yā tām jogamāsajj || || Na yā tassa tannimitto bandho suhamovi desio samaye | Aṇavajjo uyogāeṇa savvabhāvena so jamhā ||**
The muni, walking with effort, with **īryā-samiti**, while walking, lifts his feet, if by chance, a two-sensed being, etc., dies, then the scriptures say that he does not incur any karmic bondage due to that, because this is a blameless conduct done with equanimity and for the sake of all beings. And, if one conducts oneself without effort and without blame, then whether a living being dies or not, he will definitely incur the sin of violence. And, the one who walks with right conduct, with effort, and for the sake of all beings, if by chance, he commits violence, then he does not incur karmic bondage due to that violence. (Ogh Ni. 748-749) ||36||
Now, regarding the second **bhāṣā-samiti**, it is said...
54