Aspects of Jaina Religion

Author(s): Vilas Sangve
Publisher: Bharatiya Gyanpith

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72 :: Aspects of Jaina Religion
make further advance in this stage. He must refrain from all activities like commerce, agriculture, service, etc., exercised dirctly or indirectly for livelihood. This he has to do with a view to avoid himsā, i.e., injury to living beings, as far as possible. If he has children, he must give them all their shares and must use what is left with him for his maintenance and for giving as charity to others. In this stage the Svetāmbara texts, however, do not seem to prohibit activity exercised indirectly through agents or servants for the sake of livelihood.
(9) Parigraha-tyāga Pratimā: This stage contemplates the abandonment of all kinds of attachment. The householder should give up ten kinds of worldly possessions, viz., land, house, silver, gold, cattle, grain, clothes, utensils, maidservants and male-servants. Even in matters like food, shelter and clothing, he should keep just enough for his mere requirements. In a way he should train himself generally to bear the hardships incidental to a life of asceticism. Hence this stage is essentially one of preparation for the eleventh stage.
The Svetāmbara texts use the word presya-tyāga pratimā to denote this stage. It requires the householder to lay down the burdens of worldly life and stop carrying on any activity through servants and agents. He reduces his requirements to the minimum and cherishes a longing for final release.
(10) Anumati-tyāga Pratimā: A householder in this stage has to increase the vigour of his living in the direction of asceticism. As such he should give up all his activities like trade and agriculture, his attachments to property and his concern with any of the family affairs. He should entertain no feeling of like or dislike towards food served to him. He should not express either consent or dissent towards any of the activities or functions carried on by any of the members of his family.
(11) Uddişța-tyāga Pratimā: This is the highest stage of discipline for a householder. Here he abandons his family house, goes to a forest or a lonely place for shelter and adopts the rules laid down for the guidance of ascetics. He will not