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IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF GODS.
907 sunday rules of conduct, falling under the seven heads detailed below. 1.. Vows, namely,
i. abstinence from injuring living beings, ii. desisting from falsehood, iii. refraining from theft, iv. control of sex-passion, and
v. indifference to worldly goods.
2. Samitis (diligence in movement to avoid injuring insect* life) in respect of
i. walking, ii. speech, iii. food, iv. handling things, and v. disposal of excretions.
* It is not to be supposed that the Jainas have nothing better to do than to spend their whole lives in studying the well-being of the insect community. The samitis are enjoined because they are the only means of bringing the automatic activity of life under control, A major portion of our actions, it will be seen, consists of those performed automatically, i.e., without deliberation, and as they all lead to asrava and bandluu they have to be brought under personal control and stopped. Now, the only means of checking uncontrolled, automatic activity is to cultivate the habit of carefulness and diligence with respect to all matters directly controllable by the will. Hence the samitis, which tend to check and ultimately destroy automatism of habit and action (pramåda). They are difficult to be observed by the householder, because of his worldly concerns leaving him little time to cultivate them, but the muni who has withdrawn his attention from the world to apply himself exclusively to obtain mastery over his destiny, must exert himself to acquire the power of making his bodily movements only after due deliberation and carefulness. Now, since the muni has no other occupation in life, the samitis are the only means open to him of bringing his automatic activity or motor reflexes under control.
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