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In Search of the Ultimate
Non-violence:- Of these eighteen points non-violence has been given the most prominence. This is to be observed in the strictest form. Nonviolence includes self-restraint as well.
Every type of living being wants to live, no one wants to die, therefore all cruel killing activities should be abandoned.
Truth:- A monk, for his own benefit or other peoples' benefit, while in favour or in fear, should not speak untrue words or words which are true but may cause distress.
False-hood should always be condemned.
Non-stealing - A monk should not accept the smallest thing -if it is not wilfully given to him by its rightful owner.
Celibacy:- A monk should not indulge in sex, and in any activity directly or indirectly related to sex. Sex is the root of all evils for monks and therefore he should always keep away from it.
Non-acquisition:- A monk should follow the principle of non-acquisition and should not accumulate any material goods.
By acquiring and accumulating material goods one becomes greedy and therefore a wise monk keeps only those things which are necessary for monk-hood.
(These five vows, Panch Maha Vrata, are considered necessary for all Jains. Jain-monks have to observe these vows with much more strictness then the ordinary Jain householder. As regards celibacy (4th vow) a householder is only allowed to have sexual relations with his or her spouse only and that too is carried out with greater understanding. In the case of monks all sexual activities are forbidden. Sitting with a person of the opposite sex in a solitary place is not allowed and a monk
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