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An Interpretation of Jaina Ethics
wives of others. The same does, mutatis mutandis, the laywoman.
By the Fifth Aņuvrata, he promises not to keep property, lifeless or living, exceeding a certain limit, which he fixes himself at the time of taking the vow.
(b) The Three Gunavratas -- The Gunavratas comprise certain general restrictions, canonical for the whole life-time.
The First Guņavrata or Digvrata, limits the sphere within which the Srāvaka is left liberty to move, in all, or in one or other of the points of the compass, as well as in the height and depth.
The Second Guņavrata or Upabhoga-paribhoga-vrata, limits the classes and qualities of things to be used by the Śrāvaka. They are divided into two classes, viz., things which can be used only once, such as food, flowers, ointments, and things which can be used repeatedly, such as houses, clothes etc. Thus, onions, potatoes, and all kinds of bulbs and roots, are to be renounced by every orthodox Śrāvaka, because they are believed to contain a greater number of lives than other parts of plants. Meat, butter, honey and many other articles, the attainment or preparation of which is connected with gross and unnecessary injury of life, are likewise prohibited as being ‘abhakşya', i.e., uneatable. For the same reason, eating and drinking after sunset and before sunrise are interdicted. Intoxicating articles are to be avoided for reasons shown before. Besides these things which are, under all circumstances, forbidden for the Šrāvaka who takes this vow, there is, of course, no limit of things the use of which can be restricted or renounced. Thus, many a pious Śrāvaka will renounce, for life-time, tea, or some other delicacy, in which he is inclined to over-indulge, or any food that contains life, such as unboiled water, or uncut fruit, or even green vegetables in any form whatsoever, because their gathering and preparation includes more injury than that of ripe fruit or grain, etc.
On other hand, the Vrata under consideration, also puts a limit to the number of trades and professions which come into consideration for a pious Jaina layman. There are fifteen so-called
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