Doctrines of Jainism

Author(s): Vallabhsuri Smarak Nidhi
Publisher: Vallabhsuri Smarak Nidhi Godiji Jain Derasar Mumbai

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The Doctrines of the Jainas
balanced, without his resorting to either extreme-of laxity or complete renunciation.
In the sixth Gunasthana he leaves family life and joins the order of mendicants. He devotes his entire life thence-forth to the attainment of spiritual realization. He refrains not only from gross sins but from minor sins also. He may not kill any animal, harmful or not harmful. Similarly, he must speak no lie and not take even a trivial thing without asking permission of the owner; nor may he hold any property. The vows of a monk are called Mahavratas (complete vows) in contrast to the Anuvratas (partial vows) of a householder.
This stage is reached after subduing Pratyakhyanavarana, the third degree of passions. A monk is expected to purify his heart every fortnight. He has to observe Pratikarmana (repentance for sins committed knowingly or unknowingly) and other purifications daily. This stage is known as Pranatta-sanyata because the aspirant, though observing complete restraint is open to negligence or slips.
The seventh Gunasthana is known as Apranattasanyata. It should be remembered here that the third degree of passions was subdued in the sixth stage. After that there remains the fourth degree of Sanjvalana only. This is the mildest form of passions. It is compared with a line drawn in water; no sooner is it drawn than it vanishes. Similarly the passions of the Sanjualana degree have no duration. Nevertheless their arising is not stopped completely. The aspirant in the seventh stage tries to control that also. This stage is called Apranatta because the aspirant is always sufficiently alert not to allow any slipping. Here the aspirant wins also three stronger types of sleep.