ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 03

Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies

Page 157

discipline for the Homeless Monks is documented in very elaborate, though unclassified manner. The first chapter of Uttarādhyayana-sūtra is devoted to 'Vinaya i. e. the discipline for the monks and contains 48 verses. (The verses that are relevant for present discussion are attached as Appendix 1). The verses speak about the rigorous rules of discipline expected off the ascetics. Even though the classification of these rules into Mahāvratas, Guptis and Samitis is not offered, the emphasis of those rules on the practice of nonviolence, truth celibacy, carefulness about talking and eating, and on self-control and penance is quite obvious. In Tattvārtha-sūtra, the description of these rules is presented in more organized form.
1] Five Mahāvratas: Tattvārtha-sūtra defines Mahāvrata as total renunciation or major-scale vow (VII. 2). Refraining one-self from all forms of defilements like violence, untruth etc. through mind, speech and body, is to follow the major-scale vow. Jainism holds that there are five major defilements, viz. violence, false-speech, stealing other's possessions, sexual passion and acquisitiveness. Accordingly, there are five major vows as follows:
a) Non-violence: Refraining from the destruction of life due to an act involving negligence. b) Truth: Refraining from speaking false or improper. c) Non-stealing: Refraining from taking anything what is not been given. d) Incontinence/Celibacy: Refraining from the act of copulation impelled by sexual passion. e) Non-possessiveness: Refraining from getting entangled with and losing all sense of
discrimination out of a pinning for any object.
It is emphatically stated that a mere formal acceptance of the vows does not qualify one as a true votary. In order to become a true votary, one has to observe some conditions, viz. renunciation of a thorn. These thorns are three in number:
1) False pretension, deception or a tendency to cheat. 2) Greed for worldly enjoyment. 3) Not to have any faith in what is true or to insist on what is false.
2] Guptis: The auspicious restriction related to the activity of body and mind is called 'Gupti. An auspicious restriction means a restriction that has been accepted after proper comprehension and in right faith, i. e. impelled by right understanding and right faith to keep
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