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The primary reason for differentiating the meaning and interpretation of these words from ancient commentaries is to correctly understand the intent of the Agamas. For specific information, one should carefully study the marked passages. There, an attempt has been made to clarify the subject and intent with reasons and Agamic evidence.
**The Imposition of Ācāra-prakalpa and Prāyaścitta**
In the Samavāyāṅgasūtra, twenty-eight types of Prāyaścitta imposition are also called Ācāra-prakalpa. The reason for this is that these 28 Prāyaścitta impositions are also related to the study of Ācāra-prakalpa, hence they are called Ācāra-prakalpa.
There is some distortion in the original text of the 28 types of imposition due to a scribal error, which even the commentators have not discussed.
There, the imposition begins with one month and five days and ends with four months and twenty-five days. This way of starting in the middle and ending in the middle does not seem appropriate.
In reality, one should start with the Prāyaścitta-imposition of five nights and then perform six options for one month and twenty-four options for four months. This method and order of giving Prāyaścitta is also clearly evident from the Bhāṣya and other commentaries. However, there is no basis for starting with one month and five days and going up to four months and twenty-five days, and then performing twenty-four bhangas. There is also no explanation for the reason behind it. Therefore, it is appropriate to perform twenty-four options from five days to four months. Even in the Niśīth, Prāyaścitta-sthāna are mentioned for four months, and in the commentaries, the imposition begins from five days. The last four options after twenty-four options are undisputed - (1) Laghu (2) Guru (3) Saṃpūrṇa (4) Apūrṇa. Thus, a total of twenty-eight Ācāra-prakalpa are mentioned. In expectation, the study and divisions of the Ācārāṅga and Niśīthasūtra are also called twenty-eight Ācāra-prakalpa.
**The Main Subject of the Niśīthasūtra**
This Chhedasūtra primarily deals with the amount of Prāyaścitta for each fault if someone criticizes themselves for violating the limits of restraint due to unavoidable reasons or without any reason. It is divided into twenty sections as follows:
The first section outlines the faults that are eligible for Guru-māsika Prāyaścitta. Sections 2 to 5 outline the faults that are eligible for Laghu-māsika Prāyaścitta. Sections 6 to 11 outline the faults that are eligible for Guru-cāumāsika Prāyaścitta. Sections 12 to 19 outline the faults that are eligible for Laghu-cāumāsika Prāyaścitta. The twentieth section describes the method of giving and bearing Prāyaścitta.
The purification of Atikrama, Vyatikrama, and Atichāra is achieved through the minor Prāyaścitta of Ālocanā and Micchāmi Dukkadam. The Niśīthasūtra-prescribed Prāyaścitta is for the consumption of Anācāra-doṣa. This is the limit for ordinary Sādhu who are Sthavira-kalpi.
Those who are Jinakalpī or Pratimādhārī, etc., who are special Sādhu, also have to perform the Guru Prāyaścitta prescribed by the Niśīthasūtra for Atikrama, etc.