ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 04

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

Page 340

Means of purifying the body i.e. a pot of wood to carry inanimate water for cleaning the body after nature's calls.
Later on, especially the vet mbara scriptures increased the list of the possession of a monk to include such articles as a staff and an umbrella, even though, in practice, the monks do not have them today. The list went on increasing by including needle, razor, nail cutter and ear cleaner etc. B hatkalps tra gives in as many as seventy articles as possession of a monk. In latter period it appears that the monks accepted even gifts of land. The rules were, however, so clear and strict that such practices which were against the spirit of the vow could not continue for long.
3.5.1 The Importance of Non-Possessiveness It is important that possessions are not only external but internal also. The Jaina scriptures include laughter, liking and disliking, sorrow, fear and disgust as internal possessions. Even though nonviolence is considered to be the cardinal moral virtue, yet the greatest contribution of the Jainas to asceticism is the vow of non-possession, which they carried to such an extreme that the Digambara monks do not keep any cloth to cover even their body. Why there is so much insistence on nonpossessiveness is explained by the fact that almost all sins emerge out of the desire to possess. There is struggle and violence for usurping the belongings of others so that one can enjoy them. One resorts to falsehood and thefts for becoming rich. Detachment must be translated into practice by not accumulating things beyond a limit. In fact, a householder is also expected to put a limit on his possession and as he enters monkhood he becomes all the more rigid and does only with the bare minimum.
3.6 Observing Other Attitudes to Support the Observance of the Five Great Vows The deepest form of attachment is found towards body. Asceticism therefore, culminates into not only refusing the body any comfort or luxury but also voluntary accepting situations which are not favorable to the body. We shall discuss austerities in a separate lesson. As a means to protect the above five great vows a monk is supposed to observe three fold self control (gupti) and five fold vigilance (samiti). In self-control, one is to avoid all harmful activities where as in vigilance one has to see to it that others are not injured by one's activities.
3.6.1 Three-Fold Discipline Guptis The discipline of mind means freedom from thought of passions, delusion, attachment, aversion, and other impure thoughts. The discipline of speech means avoiding talks about sex, politics, anti-social activities and food. Discipline of body means physical activities are to be avoided such as piercing or beating etc.
3.6.2 Five-Fold Vigilance Samitis Of the five-fold vigilance; the first is regarding the movement. The monk should not traverse on the path where there are ants, seeds, vegetables etc. He should move only on a path, which is free from the chance of injuring any living being. He should move only in daylight, as, in the night, the path is not properly seen. He should not have any attraction towards the object of five senses while moving. He should move only for religious purposes. He should look forward on the ground to the extent of four cubits. The idea is that he should move only when it is necessary for religious purpose and that too with full vigilance.
The second is discipline of speech, whereas vigilance of speech means the positive aspect of using speech, which should be short, sweet and beneficial.
The third vigilance is regarding begging of food. One has to take food to keep his body. For a monk the purpose of life is to achieve the ultimate end of life i.e. liberation. He takes food only with this end in mind. Of course, he has to see that no violence is involved in the process of acquiring food. The food should not be prepared for him, nor should he suggest the type or quantity of food should be or approved by him. As already said, whatever little a monk gets in begging, it should be out of the things which the householder has prepared for himself. The householder shares this preparation voluntarily by putting control over his own share. The purpose of taking the food is to sustain life so
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STUDY NOTES version 4.0