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SANNYASA DAARMA
It is to be remembered that the object of
penance is not the punishment of the wrong-doer, but the purification of his soul. The penance should, therefore, be such as is calculated to attain this end, without involving anything in the nature of a punitive suffering. That which lowers the dharma (religion) itself in the eyes of others, which cannot be carried out owing to excessive strain, which is impossible of performance, or which defiles instead of purifying the inner feelings of the confessing soul, is no
penance, Confession may be detailed, in which case it is
termed poduvibhāgi, or general and brief (aughikāya). Where the fault does not affect the general observance of the vows or the rules of conduct, the confession should be detailed, to enable the confessing individnal to eradicate the little amount of dirt that has got into the 'heart.' But where the general observ. ance of vows and the root-virtues of the saintly life have been involved, indicating the necessity for re-ordination, a detailed narration is not expected of the numerous ways in which the transgressions were committed. In such a case a general statement of the virtuos and vows transgressed and
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