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Jain Terms Preserved:
The Agam Sutra 39, Cheda Sutra-5, 'Mahanisitha'
Study/Purpose/Sutra Number Sutra-1042-1043
The monk who, upon seeing a woman, becomes lustful and engages in sexual activities with her, will be reborn in a miserable state, having lost his spiritual attainment. The restrained monk or nun who indulges in sexual intercourse accumulates the karma of non-enlightenment. Through this, they bind karma suitable for rebirth in the animal and fire-bodied realms. Sutra-1044-1049
Of these three, the one who commits the offense, O Gautama! They follow the wrong path and completely destroy the right path. O Bhagavan! From this example, what will be the fate of the householders who are extremely intoxicated by passion and do not renounce women day or night? Even if they cut their body into pieces as small as a mustard seed and offer it in the fire, their impurity will not be cleansed. Even if they renounce other women and observe the vows of a Shravaka, they will attain a middling state. O Bhagavan! If they attain a middling state by practicing moderation, then why should the one who offers his body in the fire not attain purity? O Gautama! One who engages in sexual activities with his own or another's wife, or with any other person, commits a sinful act. However, he does not become bound by it. Sutra-1050-1051
If a certain soul is said to observe the Shravaka dharma and renounces the life of another woman in the threefold manner for life, he attains a middling state due to its influence. The crucial point to note here is that the one who indulges in adultery binds karma, while the one who renounces it and practices penance attains great fruit. Sutra-1052-1053
If someone, even in the slightest measure, violates the renunciation of sin, merely by a mental act, then just as the Arya named Meghamala went to a wretched state after death, so too the one who violates even a small vow by mental means alone attains a wretched state. O Kinsman of the World! I do not know what karma Meghamala accumulated by even slightly violating her vow in her mind and attained a wretched state. Sutra-1054
In the Tirtha of the Twelfth Tirthankar Lord Vasupujya, there was a Sadhvi named Meghamala, who had a body dark as lampblack and a weak mind. Sutra-1055-1058
While going out to beg for alms, she saw a beautiful house and a woman sitting there. She desired to cross over to the neighboring house. Then this Sadhvi mentally praised her, and in that moment, both of them caught fire. The Sadhvi's subtle vow was broken, as she did not criticize them there. Due to the fault of this vow-breaking, she first went to hell. Realizing this, if you desire the imperishable, infinite, and unparalleled happiness, do not allow even the slightest violation of your vows or austerities. Sutra-1059-1061
The rules for austerity, restraint, or vows are like a strict warden. One who violates these rules does not have true austerity or restraint. The fisherman, who binds sin throughout his life by catching fish, binds eight times more sin than the one who desires to break his vows. If one gains power or prosperity in one's own country and then takes Diksha, without violating one's vows, one accumulates so much merit.
Translated by Muni Deepratan Sagar (Mahanisitha), Agam Sutra-Hindi Translation
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