Agam 24 Chhed 01 Nishith Sutra Part 01 Sthanakvasi

Author(s): Amarmuni, Kanhaiyalal Maharaj
Publisher: Amar Publications

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the rules and ignorant of preventive dogmas, if they offer nonvegetarian food to the saints, it is not considered as violation of rule. It is more defective and violating to take food which contains the killing of living beings. But preference may be given to the food prepared from killing two-sensed creatures; in absence, the preference should go to three-sensed living creatures. The emphasis is not on the rules so much as on personal choice and and decision at the nick of time, clearly ruling out any possibility of condemnation or boycott. All such divisions are governed by pragmatic and empirical considerations. It is even guessed here that it is desirable to accept mutton or any non-vegetarian food if prepared not for the sake of Jain saint, in preference to the fruits meant for the Sadhu. Under such situations it is maintained that the criterion of ahimsā is not obliterated. If any saint takes mutilated and censured food without the permission of ācārya or upādhyāya, he had to undergo expiation (prāyaścitta).1 Niśítha-Cūrņi enumerates the following as. objects of Viksti (mutilated, spoilt): oil, ghi, butter, honey etc. The newly initiated spiritual aspirants i.e. Sadhus are forbidden to take all such eatables. If the ācārya allows him to take any thing he can accept. But under the category of exception (apavāda) any spiri. tual aspirant can take even the mutilated or spoilt (Viksta) stuff of food
The mutilated or spoilt objects, taken liberally may bring about perversion in the life of saints; gradually it has an adverse effect upon the spiritual path. Even the mutilated and defective eatables can be safely consumed if they are found beneficial to the old as will as young and weak adherents of faith; the solace is that it has some beneficial effect. Gradually Śrāvakas started providing such thing as discussed above with the sure belif that it has an alleviating effect.
The crowning phase of exceptions (apavāda) to solve the problems of the saints are discussed in great length. The most
1. Uttarādhyayana Sútra, IV. 21. 2. N. Gāthā-1599.