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JAINA ETHICS
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moral purity and establish equilibrium, of the mind with regard to the worldly objects. They require a devotee to regulate his food and enjoyment. They supplement the great vow of Ahimsā and enable the devotee to devolop love and affection towards all living beings.
Siksā-vratas
The regulation of work, food and enjoyment which is the object of the guņavratas to secure would not by themselves be sufficient to purify the mind and contribute to the spirttual advancement of the individual. If life were to be meaningful, it must be a constant exercise in righteousness and renunciation. Unless the moral and spiritual excellence of an individual are progressive both in spirit and action, there cannot be advancement in right knowledge and right conduct. While the five aņuvratas provide a solution for the evils of daily life and endow it with purity in thought and action, the three guņavratas teach lessons of restraints in work, food and enjoyment in daily life. The sikşā vratas broaden the mind and provide a regular opportunity for growth of scriptural knowledge. The practice of the vows is a lesson in spiritual training and experience; it affirms our conviction in the in the efficacy of right faith and knowledge. It inspires the votary to a life of piety and renunciation, as a preparation for a rigorous life of an ascetic.
Samantbhadra has mentioned the four sikşāvratas in this order: 1) deśāvakāśika, 2) sāmāyika, 3) proşadhopavāsa and 4) vaiyāvstya37 It appears from the Jaina Yoga that sāmāyika is mentioned as the first Sikṣāvrata by all the ācāryas except Samantabhadra and Asadhara.
1) Deśāvakāśika
From the nature of this vow, it appears to me to be another aspect of digvrata. In fact, Umāsvāmi and Vasunandi regard it as a guņavrata. This vow requires an individual to determine and limit his movements to a house, to a part of it, to a village or a
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