________________
346
S. B. DEO
This was in short the daily routine of the monk. But the most important and the carefully attended items of it were the six 'āvaśyakas' or essential duties: viz. the 'sāmāïka' or the equanimity of mind, 'caturviņśatistava' or the praise of the twenty-four Jinas, 'vandana' or salutation to the Arhats, Siddhas and the guru, 'pratikramana' or condemnation of the mental, vocal or physical transgressions, 'pratyākhyāna' or the determination to give up sinful activities, and 'kāyotsarga' or the practice of non-attachment to the body.694
It may be noted that these essential duties are not different from those described in the Svetāmbara texts. But it would not be out of place here to see some details pertaining to them as given in the Mülācāra.
(a) Sāmāîya :
It implied equanimity towards all beings, the practising of three 'guptis', the destruction of “kaşāyas' or passions giving up of inauspicious types of meditation like 'raudra' and 'ārta' and giving up attachment for the pleasures of the sense organs. It was done with folded hands in a standing posture with the mind fully concentrated.695
(6) Caüvīsatthava :
Keeping a distance of four angulas between his feet, and the body in a firm, unshaky position, the monk praised the twenty-four Jinas and besought them to help him in getting liberation.696
(c) Vandanaya :
The monk offered his respects to the ācārya, upadhyāya, pravartaka, sthavira and gañadhara with due modesty.
At the time of performing 'ālocanā' (confession of faults), asking questions, doing the āvaśyakas', study or worship and when atoning for an offence done, the monk bowed down to the superiors.
The distance between the worshipped and the worshipper was to be of the measure of one hand. Then scanning the purity of the body and clearly telling the superior that he was doing vandanā, the monk performed
its
694. Ibid., 1, 22-28; 7, 15. 695. Ibid., 7, 20-39. 696. Ibid., 7, 40-76.
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