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## The Eighteenth Uddeshak
[397]
The Thaanag Sutra, A. 5, mentions some reasons for traveling during the rainy season. If, due to these reasons, one has to cross a river or other water body by boat, then it is considered a justified boat journey and the prescribed atonement does not apply.
Sitting in a boat for the purpose of seeing a boat, fulfilling the desire for a boat journey, wandering from village to village, visiting pilgrimage sites, or for no reason or a general reason is considered a pointless journey. The atonement for this is mentioned in the first Sutra.
2-5. Even if one has to travel by boat due to a compelling reason, it is not permissible to travel in a boat that is tainted with the faults of being bought, etc., as mentioned in the Sutra. This means that the boatman should take the traveler without any payment, and then the atonement does not apply. If the boat is tainted with the faults of being bought, etc., then the atonement mentioned in the Sutra applies.
6-9. For a Sadhu, traveling in a boat that is being brought from the shore into the water, or from the water to the land, or being pulled out of mud, or being cleaned by removing water from it, the atonement mentioned in the Sutra applies. This means that if all the preparations for other passengers are done beforehand, then the atonement mentioned in the Sutra does not apply.
10. If the boat crossing the river is large and is far from the shore, and one has to use another small boat (Pratinaava) or other means to reach it, then the atonement applies. This means that if the boat is near the shore and one can reach it on foot as mentioned in the Praachaa Shru 2, A. 3, U. 1, then the atonement mentioned in the Sutra does not apply.
11. It is not permissible to travel in a boat that is going with the flow or against the flow of the river. However, it is permissible to travel in a boat that cuts across the width of the river to reach the opposite bank. The prohibition against traveling in such a boat is mentioned in Aachaa Shru 2, A. 3, U. 1, and here the atonement for it is mentioned.
12. Even if the width of the river is small, if the speed of the water flow is fast and the boat has to travel a long, diagonal path, causing the boat to travel more than half a yojana or even a full yojana, then it is not permissible to travel in such a boat at that time. The atonement mentioned in the Sutra applies. Therefore, if the boat crosses the river in less than half a yojana, then the atonement mentioned in the Sutra does not apply.
Here, the words "yojana" and "ardha-yojana" are used. This means that generally, one should not travel in a boat that travels more than half a yojana. However, if one is forced to travel due to a very difficult situation, then a monk can travel in a boat that travels a full yojana. But he should completely avoid traveling in a boat that travels more than a full yojana.
13-14. The Aachaarang Sutra, in its description of boat travel, states that if, after boarding the boat, the boatman asks for help in rowing the boat, the monk should not agree but remain silent.