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## Penance and Punishment
The Chhedasutra is a Sutra on Penance. Penance means purification of sin. The act of purifying sin is called penance. The offense is called 'praayah' and 'chitt' means purification. The process by which the offense is purified is penance. In the Prakrit language, the word "paayachchitt" is found for penance. 'Paay' means 'sin'. That which cuts sin is 'paayachchitt'. The seeker is in a state of 'chhadmasth', therefore, mistakes happen from him in known and unknown forms. Sins cling to his life. It is not as bad to make a mistake as it is to not recognize the mistake. Recognizing the mistake, making efforts for its purification, and making a firm resolve to not repeat the same fault in the future, and the process for the purification of the mistake, is penance.
There is a difference between penance and punishment. In penance, the seeker reveals his fault of his own accord and accepts it. If a fault has been committed inadvertently, then the seeker reveals that fault to the gurus and requests them to provide penance. The gurus tell the method to be free from that fault. On the contrary, a person accepts punishment not of his own accord but out of compulsion. He has no remorse for his wrongdoing. The offender accepts the crime not willingly but out of fear of others. Thus, punishment is imposed from above, but penance is accepted from within the heart. This is why there is a provision for punishment in politics and a provision for penance in religious ethics.
The one whose inner mind is simple, who is afraid of sin, whose heart has a strong desire for self-purification, in his mind the feeling of taking penance arises. If there is a kingdom of Maya in the mind, then purification cannot be achieved through penance. Mistakes are of many kinds. Many mistakes are common and many are extraordinary. Even common mistakes become uncommon due to country, time, and circumstances. Therefore, the penance for all types of mistakes is not the same. According to the mistakes and circumstances, different types of penance have been described.
In the texts like Stananga, Nishiya, Brihatkalpa, Vyavahar, Jitkalpa, etc., various types of penances are mentioned. While Samvayanga, etc., mention the types of penance, Nishith, etc., Agamas also describe in detail the offenses worthy of penance. Brihatkalpa Bhashya, Nishith Bhashya, Vyavahar Bhashya, Nishith Chuni, Jitkalpa Bhashya, etc., have a precise discussion of various principles and problems related to penance. The Digambar tradition's texts Mulachar, Jayadhwala, and the commentaries on Tattvarth Sutra, have expounded various types of penance. All types of penance are included in ten types of penance: (1) Palochana, (2) Pratikraman, (3) Ubhay, (4) Vivek, (5) Vyutsarg, (6) Tap, (7) Chhed, (8) Mul, (9) Anvasthapy, and (10) Paranchik. In Mulachar, the first eight names are the same, but instead of Anvasthapy, Parihar is used, and instead of Paranchik, Shraddhan is used. In Tattvarth Sutra, there is no mention of Paranchik penance, instead of Mul penance, Upasthapan is mentioned, and instead of Anvasthapy penance, Parihar penance is mentioned. Stananga and Jit
1. (a) Stananga 1073
(b) Jitkalpa Sutra 4 (c) Dhwala 1315, 23163.1