________________
Anuvrata the Jaina Path to Self-Transformation and World Peace 285
uniform, only vows in consonance with it may be widely propagated. Thus the number of basic vows went up to 42. According to the original outline there were no graded steps or stages for the followers of the Movement. Those who accepted the thirteen-point plan did not consider themselves members of the Movement, Then while there were some people who did not resort to malpractices like pay-offs and income tax evasion, there were others who found themselves unable to avoid them. Under these circumstances it was felt that it would be good to lay down progressive stages for the anuvratis (followers of anuvrata). On the basis three classes of anuvratis were prescribed : 1. New Entrant Aņuvratis, 2. Aņuvratis, 3. Advanced Aņuvratis. The vows prescribed for these classes were 11, 42 and 4 respectively.
Sarvodaya leader Ācārya Vinoba Bhave criticised the atomic vow concernig truth. He felt that there can be an atomic vow of non-violence, but truth is indivisible and it therefore admits of only totality in the form of mahávrata (total allegiance to trụth). Ācārya Śri gave it a serious consideration but Vinoba's argument did not carry conviction with him. Truth is no different from non-violence. There can be no truth where there is violence. Both non-violence and truth are intrinsically indivisible. Height cannot be divided but it takes several steps to reach it and each step is different from the other. The anuvratas or atomic vows are graded steps to reach spiritual heights.
In some quarters there was a rumbling that the Anuvrata Movement does not go to the base. It merely skims the surface. Without solving the economic problem it is in vain to think of moral development. Ācārya Sri did not term it a one-sided untruth but he did not subscribe to the view that people having no economic problems are necessarily moral. People have a very limited view of morality. Is the aggressive instinct not immoral? The Movement mainly aims at creating a climate of nonaggression, peaceful living and satisfaction with one's rightful share of things. Is this not something basic?
Some thinkers expressed the opinion that if individuals like Lord Mahăvira, Lord Buddha and Mahatma Gandhi could not make the world moral, how could Ācārya Śri do it? To this Acārya Śrī replied, when do I
say that I am going to make the whole world moral? of course our efforts Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org