________________
CONFLUENCE OF OPPOSITES
(iv) incontinence, and
(v) worldly goods.
(3) practising holy meditation, three times a day,
(4) fasting, at least four times a month,
(5) avoidance of fresh vegetables, etc.,
(6) refraining from eating after sunset # and before sunrise,
(7) total sexual abstinence,
(8) withdrawing from
takings,
115
occupations and under
(9)
dispossessing oneself of all kinds of property,
I am happy to note the following correspondence of this rule in the Books of Zoroastrianism:
"This, too, is declared: When in the dark it is not allowable to eat food; for the demons and fiends seize apon one third of the wisdom and glory of him who eats food in the dark," (SBE. Vol. V. 310).
The Mahabharata also has it :
"Offerings, bathing, the performance of shraddha, worshipping making of gifts and in particular eating should not be done at night."
Jain Education International
It is also interesting to note that बस्त्र पूतं जलं पिवेत् (water should be taken after straining it through cloth) is the common injunction of both the Jaina Siddhanta and the Mahabharta, as Prof. Virupaksha Beriyar points out (see the Jaina Path Pradarshaka, vol. iii. part 3, p. 114.)
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
