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48: śramaņa, Vol 63, No. 2, April-June 2012 texts we find various definitions of vacana-gupti. According to Uttarādhyayana Sūtra prevention of mind from misfortune of somebody else, from thoughts on acts which cause misery to living beings and from thoughts on acts which cause their destruction is known as vacana-gupti. 41
In Niyamasāra we get two definition regarding vacana-gupti.
1. Abstention from speaking lie or complete silence is known as vacana-gupti“
2. For an ascetic avoidance of talks about women, politics, theft food, etc. and refraining from telling a lie is known as vacanagupti“ In Yoga Šāstra Ācārya Hemacandra says: to observe complete silence, i.e. not to speak a word is called vacana-gupti.One should not communicate even with gestures. 44 Contrçl of speech can be accomplished in two ways: 1) By taking a vow of silence for a certain period during which he
should never open his lips or 2) By regulating his tongue only to move on imperative occasions. 45
On the basis of types of speech activity, control of speech is also divided into four
Saccā taheva mosā ya, saccāmosā taheva ya/
cautthī asaccamosā, vaigutti cauvvikā//46 i) truth (satyā) ii) falsehood (mşşā) iii) truth untruth mixed (satyā-mrsā) iv) neither truth nor untruth-only behavioral (asatyā-mrsā) In Jain texts we find some verses and aphorisms which can help to practice vacana-gupti. They are: 1) “Nāputtho vāgare kimci"47- Disciple should not speak unasked. 2) “Musam parihāre bhikkhū nayc ohārimim vae/”48 - Mendicant
should forbear falsehocd, should not speak definite language. 3) "na lavcija puttho sāvajjc^- If asked a mendicant should not speak
lie or sinful.
