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78. Brahmanic custom of retreating during the rainy season ( Varshis).
The Brahmanic rule for dress is that the ascetic “shall wear a cloth to cover bis nakedness." We have seen that the Jain rule on this point was somewhat different, but we must remember that the rale requiring utter nudity in the ascetics was given out by Mahavira, and did not exist originally, and moreover that this rule was not carried out to any great extent. The Buddhists on the contrary always wore a dress, and that too clean and decent. Another rule for the Brahmaric ascetic is that “he shall avoid the destruction of seeds." This rule is to be found included in the Ahimsa rule of the Jains and the Buddhists. But the Jains have carried this doctrine-care for life-to an extremely great length. In them, in common with the philosophy of the priinitive nations, prevails the animistic theory " that nearly everything is possessed of a
soul, not only have plants their own souls Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat www.umaragyanbhandar.com
