Ethical Doctrines in Jainism

SR No.: 006955
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Kamalchand Sogani
Publisher: Jain Sanskruti Samrakshak Sangh Solapur
Publication Year: 2001
Total Pages: 322
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 8 MB

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110
ETHICAL DOCTRINES IN JAINISM
the vows of Sāmāyika, Proșadhopavāsa, and Bhogopabhogaparimāņa give us the nine stages of advancement towards the life of ascesticism. Thus there is no unbridgeable gulf between the two ways of delineation. There is continuity and not a chasm between them. Besides, the latter way of exposition on the basis of eleven stages is much older as well as traditional, inasmuch as reference to it has been made in the much older scriptural texts. Though the latter way is chronologically prior, the credit of logical priority comes to the former.
THE ELEVEN PRATIMAS: The eleven Pratimās which have been mentioned by Kundakunda, Samantabhadra, Cāmundarāya, and Vasunandio are denominated 1) Darśana, 2) Vrata, 3). Sāmāyika, 4) Proşadha, 5) Sacittatyāga, 6) Rātribhuktityāga, 7) Brahmacarya, 8) Ārambhatyāga, 9) Parigrahatyāga, 10) Anumatityāga, and 11) Uddistatyāga. The Uvāsagadasāo also speaks of eleven Pratimăs, but does not mention their names. Kārttikeya enumerates twelve Pratimās but it should not be considered as the violation of the traditional number which is elever, since the first stage enumerated by Kārttikeya is indicative of Samyagdarśana, i. e., of spiritual conversion which has not been separately enumerated by other Acāryas but has been included in the 1st stage mentioned by them. The remaining are the names of the eleven Pratimās. Hence, there is no divergence from traditional enumeration. Somadeva, in the first place, effects variation in the order of certain stages and secondly substitutes 'Divā-Maithuna-virati' for 'Rātri-Bhukti-virati. The former deviation from the traditional presentation has received no support at the hands of subsequent thinkers, while the latter one has been assimilated in their ethical discussions. We shall presently dwell upon each of the eleven Pratimās and shall as well endeavour to point out that the aforementioned three
1 Sat. Vol. I-p. 102. Kaşāya Pāhuda. Vol. I. p. 130. 2 Caritra Pāhuda. 22. 3 Ratna. Srāva. 137 to 147. Vasu. Srāva. 4. 5 Uvāsaga. 70. Abhayadeva, the commentator of the Uvāsagadasão, mentions the names of eleven Pratimās in the following way: 1) Darśana, 2) Vrata, 3) Sāmāyika, 4) Proşadha, 5) Kāyotsarga, 6) Abrahma-varjana, 7) Sacitta-tyāga, 8) Arambhatyāga, 9) Preşyatyāga, 10) Uddiştatyāga and 11) Sramaṇabhūta. (Uvāsaga. Comm. pp. 74-77) We observe that the names of Pratimās given by the Svetāmbaras are somewhat different from those given by the Digambaras. But we shall point out afterwards
that the contents do not differ much. 6 Kārtti. 305, 306. Vasu. Srāva. Intro. p. 50.