First Steps to Jainism Part 1

Author(s): Sancheti Asso Lal, Manakmal Bhandari
Publisher: Sancheti Trust Jodhpur

Page 83

The Three Hallmarks 69
restraints accompanying sainthood-described in the previous chapters as Right conduct for monks. It may be recalled that Right conduct for monks is the highest type of discipline involving obedience to the five major vows (nonviolence, truthfulness, non-theft, celibacy and non-accumulation), three controls (guptis), five vigilances (Samities) Ten Commandments (Dharmas) etc. Accordingly from Sanyam or self-control in this context is understood the highest type of Right Conduct which is also the Jain scheme of an ideal ethical life.
35. In a narrower context sanyam is one of ten commandments (dharmas) along with forgiveness (Kshama), humility (mardav) purity (sauch) etc. which are means to prevention (sanvar) of bondage of Karmas. Here sanyam has been defined as "suppression of passions (Kashyas) and regulation of the yogas (three medias i. e. mind, speech and body)". It should follow that any steps towards supression of anger, greed, pride or deceit as well as any action to regulate one's thought, speech or action in the right direction is a step towards sanyam. Thus even a beginner described in the previous chapter, or one who follows one of the forty-nine combinations towards abjuring any sinful activity is on the path of self-control and henceforth towards prevention of bondage and influx.
36. At the other end of scale is the form of Sanyam involving complete suppression of passions and medias (or Yoga) which is characterized by supreme purity and supreme steadiness which is followed by attainment of salvation (nirvana).
37. Between these two ends of the scale there are numberless types known as different disciplinary stages (sanyamsthan). In the earlier or lower stages passions are the greater vitiating agents. In the latter or higher stages passions tend to disappear but the yoga or medias vitiate the soul. When yoga or medias are also suppressed, passions having been controlled already, supreme, pure and steady stage is attained followed by Nirvan. It needs emphasis that in these numberless disciplinary stages : the purity of an immediately later (following) disciplinary stage is infinite times greater than that of an immediately earlier (preceding) one.