Critical Study Of Paumacariyam

SR No.: 022643
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: K R Chandra
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology and Ahimsa
Publication Year: 1970
Total Pages: 672
Language: English, Sanskrit
Classification: Book_English & Book_Devnagari
File Size: 18 MB

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A CRITICAL STUDY OF PAUMACARIYAM
at night is often criticised because it brings about many-fold miseries in the next world (32.70; 14.137-148). Once it is said that abstinence from taking food at night forms the sixth lesser vow of householder's conduct (anuvvaya pañca......chaṭṭham ca raibhattam 6.120). Not only food but even the taking of water at night is not advised (amayaṁ pi na pāyavvam bcadda tume kim puno saliam 103.24). It is said that taking meal at night is just like devouring flies, worms and moths (103.25). The Sarvarthasiddhi (7.1) and Rajavartika (7.1), quote it as being regarded by some as sixth 'aņuvrata'. The Căritrasara of Camuṇḍaraya and the Acarasăra (5.70) of Viranandi mention the abstinence from taking food at night as the sixth Anuvrata of a houeholder's conduct. But the Yogas astra (3.6) of Hemacandra puts it under the 'bhogopabhogaparimāņa', i.e. the second 'gunavrata'. The Upasakācāra (5.1) of Amitagati and the Sagaradharmamṛta (2.18) of Asadhara include it among the Mulagunas. According to the Sravakacara (4) of Vasunandi and the Ratnakaraṇḍaśrāvakācāra (142) it is prescribed to be observed at the time of holding the sixth 'pratima' i.e. the sixth stage of householder's dharma which comes after 12 vratas (as described above), which are to be observed during the second 'pratima' stage. It has been already mentioned, that the PCV prohibits even the taking of water at night. The Caritrasara of Camuṇḍarāya prohibits it but the Acarasara of Viranandi prohibits food only, not water (sarvathännännivṛtestatproktam saṣṭhamanuvratam 5.70). Taking meat is similary criticised (14.47-49, 116;22.83-89) because it entails the killing of living beings (26.35) as it is not the product of trees or it does not grow on land (26.39) and killing is the negation of 'ahimsa', which is the very basis of the Jaina conduct (havai ahimsa mulaṁ dhammassa 26.62).
Thus the prohibition of taking honey, meat and liquor as mentioned in the Paumacariyam is corroborated by other Jaina works. These three abstinences have been included among the eight mulag uņas' of householders conduct (the other five being the five aņuvratas) by the Ratnakaranda Śravakācāra (66), (the other five being the five udumbaras, fig-tree fruits) by Yaśastilaka (1. 327)1, Bhavasamgraha (356) and the Sagaradharmamɣta (2. 2-3). The Yogaśastra (3. 6) and the Ratnakaraṇḍaśrāvakācāra (84) mention the above three abstinences under the 'bhogopabhogaparimana'-guna-vrata. The Śravakācāra (70-87) of Vasunandi puts them under the first stage (pratima) of the householder's conduct.
Ascetic Life.
The ascetic life as revealed in the Paumacariyam can be treated under two heads i. e. Jaina ascetic life and the non-Jaina ascetic life.
1. Vide Jasastilaka and Indian Culture-Handiqui, p. 262.