________________
SCHOOL
TIONAL
SELF STUDY IS THE SUPREME AUSTERITY
वाध्याय परम
S.NO
i.a
OF
severe physical ailment. In such cases even resorting to external treatments for physical ailments are allowed till the person returns to normal health to practice austerities. Rules/ code of conduct given in table-1 below:
i.b
ii.
राप
STUDIES
State of living beings/tattva
Life style i.e.
Auspicious
Bondage (Bandha)
Stoppage of
acquiring new
ills/karmas
(Sarvara)
Annihilating past
ills/karmas (Nirjarā)
Table-1
Objective
Page 176 of 273
Maximize meritorious
/auspicious bondage of
karmas and minimize
inauspicious karmas
Preventive measures to
minimize loss of happiness
(health as well) due to new activities.
Similar to Curing/surgery
Rules/practices
Abstain from seven vices27 Acquire eight basic virtues28 Observe six essential daily duties29 Minimize pain to self andothers Practice five minor vows, three enhancing vows and four training vows.30 Practice Sallekhana31 when the body fails to support activities at 1,2
Observe twelve austerities32
Some examples of popular healing systems being used by Jains these days
1. Meditation: A systematic method of Preksa-dhyāna (based on Jain doctrine) which is gaining popularity in curing even such deadly diseases like heart attacks, high blood
27 Seven vices: prostitution, gambling, eating meat, drinking, hunting, stealing, casting an evil eye on other women
28 Abstain from honey, meat and alcohol and five types of fruit infested with germs /living beings, abstain eating after sunset, compassion, disposing water properly and visiting the temple (RKSC V.66).
29 Worship the true deity, veneration of the holy teacher, self study of the holy texts, charity, self restraint and penance.
30 Minor vows: Non violence, non-stealing, speaking the truth, limiting wants/possessions and sex with religiously married spouse. Enhancing vows: Limiting movements for a day in different directions, avoiding unnecessary activities and limiting possession of things both used for once or multiple times. RSKS-V.68. Training vows are: Limiting movements for the entire life in different directions, performing periodic contemplations daily, observing fasts on specific days and spending time in the temple and serving the virtuous people (RKSC Verse.91).
31RKS verse 129 and TS Sutra no. VII.37: Sallekhana is the art of pious death taken when the person feels that his/her body is not able to support his worldly and religious activities properly. It is taken from a religious preceptor who is familiar from the person's spiritual /mental/physical and family conditions. It is neither taken prematurely to attempt death (suicide) and even during the practice of vow, the practitioner is forbidden to even wish for an early death.
32 Twelve austerities are: 6 external: fasting, eating less than the full stomach, conditional acceptance of food, giving up a specific taste (bitter, salt, sweet, acidic and spicy) regularly, sleeping on a proper bed and mortification of the body. Six internal are: Repentance, humility, self study, relaxation, meditation are essential for curing as well as being healthy. In the internal type, the sub types humility and meditation are extremely important to cure the inflicted illnesses.
STUDY NOTES version 5.0
