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medium is of 12 month duration, and maximum is of 12 year duration
Procedure of the twelve year samlekhana-For the first four years the ascetic should indulge in unusual austerities of observing one day, two day, three day, four day, or five day fasts; on the days of eating he should eat food that is pure and free of any faults including the fault of origin. The next four years should also be spent doing the same unusual austerities but now on the days of eating he should eat bland and fat free food. For next two years he should observe fast on every alternate day; on the day of eating he should do ayambil-tap (eating once in a day food cooked with a single ingredient and without any salt or other condiments). During the first six months of the eleventh year he should do one or two day fasts and during the next six months follow a more rigorous routine of three, four or five day fasts. On the eating days he should do ayambil, eating less than his appetite. During the twelfth year he should continuously do ayambil-tap. During the twelfth year the seeker reduces one morsel everyday till he eats just one morsel.
At the end of the twelfth year he does fortnight long or month long fasts. Digambar tradition also follows this procedure of observing samlekhana after gradually reducing food intake with the help of various austerities including fasting, ayambil, limiting desires, and avoiding rich food. If an aspirant has no constraints of age and strength he emaciates the body by observing the twelve Bhikshu-pratimas (special austerities prescribed for ascetics).
(Bhagavati Aradhana, M. p. 246-249 and 257-259; Sagaradharmamrita 8/23)
Arambhao tiuttai–In this phrase the term arambh does not mean violence or sinful activity. Here it means the attitude or desire to assume physical form (body). An aspirant breaks away from or avoids such desires. The commentator (Churni) accepts an alternative text-kammunao tiuttai—and interprets as—sheds eight types of karma.
विमोक्ष : अष्टम अध्ययन
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Vimoksha : Eight Chapter
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