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IV. ACARA OF THE HOUSEHOLDER
sion. Sometimes it so happens that on account of the short understanding or on account of the irresistible force of passion, the purity and enthusiasm diminish and the result is the defilement of 4 vow. This must at once be avoided in order to maintain its sanctity. When such corruption rises in the mind, it is called atikrama; when further development occurs towards its defilement, say, collection of means to overthrow it, vyatikrama is the name given to it; when we have indulged in it, it is said to be aticāra; and lastly, when excessive indulgence is witnessed, anācāra results. These four are the stages of defilement of a vow. To illustrate, to simply think to enter another man's field is Atikrama; to start to jump in the field is Vyatikrama; to enter the field is Aticāra; and to move, sit and lie down in the field is Anācāra. According to Amstacandra that which hampers the purity of the vow is called Aticāra.? Every vow should be observed with great purity, care and zeal, since only such vows can bear desired fruits, and serve as a means to the moral and the spiritual upliftment. In spite of every care the mind may, under the influence of society, ill-health, fear and passion, deviate from the prescribed path. Hence, defects originating in the observance of vows may be of many types, but the Jaina Ācāryas have mentioned only five for each vow, so that we may direct our mind towards them and shun them. Now the five transgressions of the householder's vow of Ahimsā are: 1) tying up living beings, 2) mutilating them, 3) beating them, 4) overloading them, and 5) withholding their food and drink.
NATURE OF ASATYA (FALSEHOOD): We now turn to the exposition of the nature of falsehood and Satyāņuvrata. To begin with falsehood, it concerns itself with the expression of intense passion through the outlet of speech, which expresses itself in language and gestures. Dispassionate speech is synonymous with the mystical realization which is the height of truth man is capable of achieving. Intense-passion-infected speech is complete falsehood. Mild-passion-infected speech, is, to coin a new word, semi-truth, i.e., truth descended in the mundane and embellished form, for example, to speak noble, beneficial and benevolent words; this certainly amounts to the gliding and lapse from the superb
1 Bhāvanāviveka, 192, 193. 2 Puru. 181.
3 Puru. 183,; Ratna. Śrāva., 54. Ta. sū. VII. 25; Uvāsagadasão, I. 45,; Sāgā. Dharma. IV. 15, Amita. Srāva. VII. 3.
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