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monks namely: practice of equanimity, veneration of praise of 24 Tirthankaras, reverence to holy teachers), atonement), abandonment of body, sitting or standing motionless for a long period and renunciation of certain foods, activities for a specified period. They exercise greater self restraint and caution and start observing the five minor vows which constitute the part of institution of vows discussed later.
Advanced: They practice further restrictions on the rules followed by the first two categories and observe the Institution of vows simultaneously: These comprise five minor vows and seven enhancing vows as discussed below.
The gradation of householders on the path of spiritual purification is indicated by 11 stages3, the last stage leads the
householder to a monk's life.
Fasting and control of palate is practiced by each category as a way of annihilating bonded karmas and their intensity. Duration of fasts and control of palate increases simultaneously with the spiritual progress of the practitioner.
Anuvratas / Minor Vows
Nonviolence: Causing hurt to the life-vitalities of a living being is called Himsa. Limiting such activities is called Ahimsaanuvrata or known as Pranatipat-viraman-vrata in which total avoidance of violence against two-sensed to five-sensed living beings is accepted and minimization towards one-sensed living beings is practised.33 The word Pranatipata literally means to destroy (Atipata) life-vitalities (Prana) of living beings. In short it is refraining from violence. Life vitalities are ten (three channels of activities- mind, body and speech, five sense organs, the duration of life and respiration). To destroy or injure, through negligence or ill-will, one or more life vitalities of one's own or others is violence. For householders violence is divided in four categories, namely intentional (not allowed at all), professional and lifestyle (to be minimized) and defensive to be practised when absolutely necessary.
Pg.238 Gandhi & Jainism
