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HISTORY OF VEGETARIANISM IN INDIA
life - thus the Brāhmaṇa following the ahimsikā výtti accepts only food that has been killed by others.
These sālīnas and yāyāvaras are sacrificing in the self (ātmayājin) by offerings to the vital breaths (prāņāhūti).249 This mental sacrifice is characteristic for the renouncer.
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5. A. The sannyāsin 'renouncer' or parivräjaka (pravrājaka) 'wandering ascetic' is subjected to the most rigid rules of ahimsā.
When entering the Order (āśrama) of the sannyāsin, a Brāhmaṇa offers a last sacrifice: Having the (sacred) fires in himself, a Brāhmaṇa shall go forth from his house. 250 He then gives a promise of safety to all the creatures: "The Brāhmaṇa, who having given fearlessness (= safety) to all the beings goes forth from this house, participates in worlds made of radiance.251 This promise will result in his own safety: 'For the twice-born man who has not even caused the slightest fear to living beings there will be no fear from anywhere after he is freed from his body.'252
In this context, abhaya and bhaya are quasi-synonyms of ahimsā and himsā. For, following his promise of abhaya, the sannyāsin has to take special safeguards:
He shall put down his foot purified by sight (i.e. after having made sure that he does not step on any creature), he shall drink water purified (= strained) by a piece of cloth, he shall utter speech purified by truth, his behaviour shall be purified by his mind.253
The essence of the sannyāsin's behaviour is described as follows: 'By the restraint of his senses, by the destruction of love and hatred, and by non-injury to living beings he becomes fit for immortality: 254 The aim of the sannyāsin is the liberation from
249 Baudh 2, 7, 12. This and the related texts on the manasa yajña or
prāṇāgnihotra are collected and commented upon by Varenne, 1. c., II, 69
sqq. 53 sqq. 250 M 6, 38 prājāpatyām nirupyesim sarvavedasadakşiņām, ātmany agnīn
samáropya brāhmaṇah pravrajet grhāt. 251 M6, 39 yo dattvā sarvabhūtebhyaḥ pravrajaty abhayam grhāt, tasya tejomayā
lokā bhavanti brahma-vādinah. 252 M 6, 40 yasmād anv api bhūtānām dvijān notpadyate bhayam, tasya dehad
vimuktasya bhayam nästi kutaścana. 253 M 6, 46 drstipūtam nyaset pādam vastrapūtam jalam pibet, satyapūtām vaded
vācam manahpūtam samācaret. Cf. 68.
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