Fundamentals Of Jainism

Author(s): Champat Rai Jain
Publisher: Veer Nirvan Bharti

Page 69

NIRJARA
61
cating rhythm of true joy, which is partially felt by a perfect house-holder, is one of such qualities, and suffices to make one immune to almost all kinds of bodily pain
The kesha-lochana over, the house-holder becomes a wanderer, possessing nothing, and dependent for his very subsistence on the charity of others He may possess nothing of value-neither clothes, nor metal, nor anything else. His conduct must be characterised by the highest degree of self-control, and he should perfect himself in righteousness, mercy, equanimity, renunciation, and all other auspicious qualities of a like nature. His. object being the attainment of absolute freedom from the trammels of samsára, he neither pays any attention to the taunts or jibes of men, nor to the objects of scnses, nor even to the embellishment of his own person. He aims at the perfection of the holiest form of dhyana, the immediate cause of emancipation, and leaves all other things, such as the embellishment of his physical 'prison' and the like, to those who have no desire, or capacity, to realise the great Ideal of Immortality and Bliss. What the others say or think of him docs not worry him; he is indifferent to the vagaries of fortune and the inclemencies of seasons, and steadily pursues the course he has deliberately adopted for escaping from this Vale of Tears. While as a house-holder he had vowed only to spend a certain portion of his time daily in the reading of Scripture and meditation, he now devotes every moment of his life to these holy objects, and brings all his energies to bear on the attainment of pure, undisturbed dhyana. The five great vows which he now takes are similar to those of the layman, but of unbending rigidity.
(i) His first vow relates to the observance of ahimsâ (non
injury) in the widest sense. The ascetic must try to avoid even injuring the one-sensed form of life to the best of his ability. He must walk along the trodden path, so as to be able to detect the presence of any insects; use only the gentlest form of expression in speech; be careful as to the food that is given to him by others; avoid injuring the insects that might have got into his. books, etc., and be circumspect in depositing refuse, excre
tions and the like, so as not to injure any insect's life. (ii) The second vow enjoins avoidance of untruth, which