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English Translation (preserving Jain terms):
282 ]
Prayashchitta (Atonement) for Crossing Major Rivers
44. If a bhikkhu crosses, traverses, or ferries across these five great rivers - Ganga, Yamuna, Sarayu, Iravati, and Mahi - once or twice or thrice within a month, either by walking or by boat, or approves of someone else doing so, then he incurs the Laghuchatumasika Prayashchitta (minor four-monthly penance).
Explanation - According to the Maasakalpa Vihara (monthly conduct), crossing a river once in a month is permissible, but crossing it two or three times in the same month is not allowed. There is no prayashchitta (atonement) required for crossing the rivers a total of nine times in eight months, where the first month can have two crossings and the remaining seven months can have one crossing each.
However, the Dashashrutaskandha Dasha 2 states that crossing these major rivers three times in a month and ten times in a year is considered a grave offense.
The Brihatkalpasuttra Uddeshaka 4 prohibits crossing these major rivers more than two or three times in a month, but allows crossing smaller rivers with water up to the knee.
The terms 'dukkhuto' and 'tikkhuto' indicate that the prayashchitta is incurred if the bhikkhu crosses the major rivers three times in the first month and two times each in the remaining months.
Uttaranam (crossing by limbs) and Santaranam (crossing by boat) - Crossing by arms or legs is called Uttaranam, while crossing by kumbha (earthen pot), diwadi (small boat), udupaiehim (small boats) etc. is called Santaranam.
These
Five (rivers) are mentioned collectively, the rest are also great, deep rivers.
There, the copper (vessel) does not dry up even before (the crossing is completed).