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PANCHA PARAMESTHI
• Conquering of Parishaha - Enduring hardships and suffering with equanimity 1 • Sanllekhana - Endurance and fearlessness towards death and associated 1
pains. Also accepts voluntary death
Digambar Tradition - Attributes of Monks
Digambar account of attributes for their Monks (Sädhus) varies somewhat with one significant requirement that male monks are sky-clad or do not wear any clothes.
5 Great Vows Mahävrata (the same five great vows as described above) 5 Samiti
• Irya Samiti (carefulness while walking) • Bhäshä Samiti (carefulness in talking) • Eshana Samiti (carefulness while getting alms) • Ädäna- Nikshepana Samiti (carefulness while putting clothes and any objects)
Parishthä Pän Samiti (carefulness while disposing excreta) 5 Control of five senses 6 Ävashyaka (six essentials - same as in Digambar Acharyas) 6 other attributes • Kesha Loch (Plucking of your own hair)
Asnäna (No bathing) • Bhumi shayana (Sleeping on the floor) • Adantadhovan (No brushing of teeth) • Uttisthan Ähär Sevan (Eating food in standing posture only)
Eka Bhukti (Eating once a day only)
Some books include monks do not wear any clothes as an attribute in this section. According to them Monks have 28 attributes instead of twenty-seven.
The Jain ascetics follow the above attributes. Their activities are directed towards the uplift of their souls to the state of liberation hence they are very unique.
Total Attributes of Pancha Paramesthi
No. of Attributes
36
Arihanta Siddha Ächarya Upadhyay Sädhu/Sadhvis (Monks/Nuns) Total
25
27
108
108 beads of Mälä (Navakärväli) symbolically represent these 108 attributes of Pancha Paramesthi.
JAIN PHILOSOPHY AND PRACTICE I
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