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(401 Digvrata and Deshavrata: Limiting one's activities in all directions for the whole life time and limiting one's activities within certain boundaries for a limited time
These are not merely religious vows. They are of much economical importance. A person who practises these vows has to depend upon things of his own flice or village or limited area. He cannot send for things from ortside, nor send out things from his place. He has to depend upon his own people. In a village if the majority of the people begin to practise this vow, the village, out of necessity, has to become a selfsupporting unit and the people would feel self-contented and self-sufficient. The advice of Mahatma Gandhi to boycot foreign goods was perhaps based upon this vow, fully conversant of Jaina vows, as he was.
This is not a d fficult vow to practise. Even to day we find in South India some villages where the Jainas depend entirely on their own village products and manufactured things.
It is further enjoined that the gift of food, of medicines, of learning, and of protection should be given to the deserving and to the needy. If these vows are stuctly followed on a wide scale without any transgressions, social inequality and economic distress will soon vanish and all people will have enough food, clothing, shelter and comfort.
JAINAN JAYATU SHASANAM
