________________
58
Dr. Charlotte Krause: Her Life & Literature
which consists in a repeated bowing down to the earth, so that knees and forehead touch the ground, under recitation of old Prakṛta formulas and other formalities. The third form is the Dvādaśāvarta Vandana, which demands the performance of a complicate ceremonial, and is, at present, restricted to certain special occasions.
4. The fourth Avaśyaka is the Pratikramaṇa, i.e., the formal repentance of all transgressions, connected with a full confession, in the presence of the Guru or his representative. It has various forms with the different sects. The scriptures speak of a five-fold Pratikramaṇa, the different forms of which are practised every morning, every night, every fortnight, every three months, and every year, by way of confessing the transgressions committed in the preceeding period. It is worth noting that the Śvetāmbaras have certain stereotype lists in which all the transgressions a Sadhu and a layman can possibly commit, are enumerated in full details, and which have to be recited regularly. With the Śvetāmbaras, the two daily Pratikramaņas form the main rite of the day, with which all the other Avasyakas have become so intimately connected, that a separation would be impossible: 'to perform Pratikramaṇa' means, with them, 'to perform the six Avaśyakas in their stereotyped combination'.
5. The fifth Avaśyaka is the Kayotsarga, i.e., the Kayotsarga austerity, as described before, generally performed by the way of meditating, while standing motionless, in the Kayotsarga posture. At present, it is often performed in a sitting posture, too. The duration of each Kayotsarga must be fixed before, and the time minutely kept.
6. The last Avaśyaka is the Pratyākhyāna, i.e., a formal vow taken in the presence of the Guru with reference to any kind of restriction or renunciation to be performed. The Mahāvratas and Aṇuvratas are Pratyākhyānas too, it is true, and so are the other Vratas of Śrāvakas likewise. But as Pratyākhyāna Avaśyaka in the narrower sense, only vows as are adopted for a short period are usually counted. There are various kinds of Pratyākhyānas, differ
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
