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THE JAINA DOCTRINE OF LIBERATION
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conduct simultaneously. In other words, he who is intent on this trinity together in a state of mental concentration, his śramaņahood is complete.
Like that of a true Jaina ascetic, the main aim of a true Jaina householder is also to get liberation. There is a close relationship between the two orders. The former follows a strict course of asceticism while the latter follows a partial asceticism due to his multifarious responsibilities, personal as well as social. The stage of the householder is preparatory to the stage of an ascetic because the courses of conduct prescribed for both do not differ in kind but in degree. The difference lies only in that the householder adopts and practices those rules partially while the ascetic follows and executes them completely. So the conduct of the Jaina householder is a step to the higher goal of monkhood.
The Jaina householder should observe twelve vows, viz. five aņuvratas, three gunavratas and four śikṣāvratas.67 The word vrata indicates virati which means cancelling the evils. It is the powerful medium to attain samvara and nirjară. The householder cannot observe these yratas completely, owing to his other duties and engagements. According to the Ratnakarandaśravakācāra, the Jaina householder must follow eight essentials, i.e. five asuvratas and total avoidance of the use of liquor, flesh and honey. 68
The five aṇuvratas consist of partial observance of non-injury, truth, non-stealing, chastity and limitation of wordly possessions to the extent of being sufficient for the maintenance of life oply
These five vows are supplemented by three gunavratas which restrain bodily movements and four śikṣāvratas which promote purification of the self. The three gunayratas consist in the limitation of daily activities in all directions, limitation of regional activities and abstaining from purposeless sin. The four śikṣāvratas relate to daily concentration, keeping fast on certain days, limiting enjoyment of consumable and non-consumable things, and partaking of food after feeding an ascetic, or giving gifts (dāna) in the form of comfort, food, medicine and cloth etc. to the beings. These four śikṣāyratas emphasize inner purity of the self.
67. Upăsakadaśamgasūtra, 1. 11; Ratnakaran laßrāvakācāra, 51;
Tativărthasūtra, VII, 21. 68. See R. Williams, Jaina Yoga.
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