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Avoidance of Intoxicants and Non-Possession
(karanas).1 Based on the very text of the mahāvrata, as stated in the Daśavaikālika, possessions are described as of fiftyfour varieties. It is said that the monk abstains from six types of possessions-little in quantity,large in quantity,small in size or large in size, living and non-living-with his three instruments of mind, speech and body and abstains from indulging in the violation of the vow in all the three ways of performances, that is he indulges in it neither himself,nor causes others to indulge in it, nor appreciates those who indulge in it. In this manner, the monk abstains from fifty-four kinds of parigraha. This classification, however, refers mainly to bahya parigraha.
This apparently shows that the vow of the monks suggests that the monks are not supposed to be equipped with any kind of belongings. But in practice both Svetambara and Digambara monks do possess some requisites for their daily use. (The Digambara monks are even more rigid than the Svetāmbaras as they do not even possess clothes and begging bowls, though they too possess one or two things for daily use and for the preservation of the fundamental vows). The justification for this restricted number of possessions is made on the basis of a distinction made between desire and necessity. Desire is something which is based on the passion of attachment or mūrcchā, but necessity is not, the fulfilment of the latter helps in safeguarding the other vows and leading a good ascetic life. Necessities can be fulfilled even without attachment, therefore the monks can keep certain requisites like clothes, begging bowls etc., and they are not included in the class of
1.
.. सव्वं भंते परिग्गहं पञ्चक्खामि । से अप्पं वा बहुं वा अणुं वा थूलं वा चित्तमंतं वा अचित्तमंतं वा, नेव सयं परिग्गहं परिगि हिज्जा, नेवहि परिग्गहं परिगिण्हाविज्जा, परिग्गहं परिगिण्हते वि अण्णे न aagsnonfa lengetarg fafaż fafağ -Dasav. 4.11. 2. Śramaṇa Sūtra-Upadhyaya Amarmuni, p. 64.
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