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should use clothing prescribed for him in whatever form he gets. He should neither cut it smaller nor add another piece to make it larger. He should also not wash or dye it. This rule is also meant for Jinakalpi and Pratimadhari ascetics. For the non-itinerant ascetics there is a provision for washing clothes in some specific conditions but not at all for good appearance or beauty. To accept, wear, or wash with a feeling of beautification or embellishment is not allowed for ascetics at any level; and to dye clothes is completely forbidden.
(Acharanga Tika by Atmaram ji M., p. 578) Santottare—one inner cloth and one outer cloth.
Omchelaye-least or simple. The word avam covers lower levels of all the three parameters of number, quantity, and price. An ascetic who lives on simplest clothing of little price in minimum numbers is called avamchelak.
* Ahaparijunnai vatthaim paritthavejja–This aphorism conveys that an ascetic can accommodate himself in least number of clothing; and he should practice to do so. As soon as summer sets in, out of the three clothing he should discard the one he considers most worn out. If possible he should discard one more out of the remaining two. If he has courage enough to go a step further, he may remain completely unclad. However, he should keep the mouth cover and the ascetic-broom with him because these are means of avoiding harm to beings. Discarding clothing gives benefits of austerities and at the same time it makes one free of any worries about the garb, giving him the extra and important benefit of attaining a state of comparative lightness.
It is stated in the scriptures that there are five reasons that make the state of being unclad lofty. These are
(1) There is lesser inspection required in that state. (2) There is advanced level of lightness in that state. (3) The appearance effuses reliability.
आचारांग सूत्र
( 807 )
Ilustrated Acharanga Sutra
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