ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 04

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

Page 356

necessary for one's living and the rest should be returned to society for its well being. Limit of wealth and essential commodities are indispensable for the development of healthy social life. In a way wealth is the basis of our social structure and if its flow is obstructed because of its accumulation in few hands, large segments of society will remain undeveloped. The hoarding of essential commodities creates a situation of social scarcity, which perils social life. In order to resist such inhuman tendency Jainism incessantly endeavoured to establish the social value of Parigraha Parim uvrata.
Apart from the A vratas, the r vaka (the householder) has to observe the three G avratas and four ik vratas known as seven lavratas. These lavratas serve the useful purpose of guarding the A vratas. They effect a positive improvement in the observance of A vratas. That which refrains unlimited movement in any direction is Digvrata; that which refrains from going to some region is De avrata. That which refrains wanton activity is Anarthada avrata. All these three are styled as
avratas (vows of withdrawal).
G
3.1 Nature of Digvrata It consists in fixing the limits of one's own movements in the ten directions. 134 For the purpose of demarcation are utilised the well-known signs, such as oceans, rivers, forests, mountains, countries and yojana stones. [35] As regards the time limit, Samantabhadra (36) and Akalanka (37) explicitly prescribe its life-long observance, while the other c ryas implicitly state so. The r vaka Prajnapti (38] tells us that since the householder is like a heated iron ball, his movements, wherever they are made, entail Hi s. If the area of his movements is circumscribed, he will thereby save himself from committing His as such outside that area. Thus by the avoidance of even the subtle sins beyond the determined limits, the A vrat (householder) becomes like a Mah vrat (ascetic) in respect of the regions lying beyond those limits. 39 Besides, the K rttikeyanuprek tells us that by fixing the limits in all the ten directions the passion of greed is controlled. 40 This may be explained by saying that the Digvrat has automatically renounced the getting of wealth, even if it can be easily got, from the area outside the limits. It will not be idle to point out here that the limitation of movements in the external world tends to reduce the internal passions, thereby fulfilling the purpose for which the Digvrata is enjoined.
3.2 Nature of De avrata The Sarv rthasiddhi expound the nature of De avrata as limiting one's own movements to the region determined by certain villages and as renouncing the rest of the places. 142) Vasunandi has explained it by affirming that it implies the abandonment of the habitation of those countries or places where the observance of vows is threatened or rendered difficult.[43] It is very interesting to note that
rutas gara, the 16th century commentator of the Tattv rthas tra has subscribed to the view of Vasunandi by saying that the De avrata consists in discarding those places which obstruct the due observance of vratas and which occasion insalubrity's mind. 44)
3.3 Nature of Anarthadandavrata K rttikeya defines Anarthadandavrata as renouncing the commitment of such acts as is not subservient to any useful purpose. Being frivolous, they simply engender insalubrity's mind, which results in depravity. The r vaka Prajnapti affirms that actions without any purpose bring about more Karmic bondage than the actions with some end in view, inasmuch as the former may be committed at any time even without any necessity, while the latter are performed at some specific time out of some necessity (46)
3.3.1 Forms of Anarthadandavrata The perpetration of barren and inane actions admits of multitudinous forms, but for the sake of comprehension five forms have been recorded. K rttikeya, Samantabhadra, and the commentators of Tattv rthas tra like P jyap da and Akala ka, recognise five forms of Anarthadandas. They are:
Apadhy na P popade a Pram dacarita, Hi s d na Du ruti
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STUDY NOTES version 4.0