Introducing Jainism

Author(s): Satyaranjan Banerjee
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

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INTRODUCING JAINISM
with contumely, and deprived of his possessions. In another incarnation he may be afflicted with dumbness, speech defects, and foetid breath. Wilful calumny in particular is the root of endless miseries. On the other hand, one who always speaks the truth will, so popular belief avers, never be beaten by a serpent."
Acaurya : acaurya means abstaining from stealing. It is to be noted that theft is considered as one of the seven calamites (vyasanas) in many Jaina texts. In the Ratnakaranda (III. 11), as quoted by Williams (p. 83), the definition of theft is given :
nihitam vā patitam vā su-vismộtam vā parasvam avisrstam/ na harati yan na ca datte tad-akrsa-cauryād uparamanam//
"Not taking the property of others whether pledged or dropped or completely forgotten unless it has been given", the enjoyment of that unearned property is due to theft.
Brahmacarya : brahmacarya means 'abstaining from sexual intercourse'. In Jain tradition any kind of kāma is to be abandoned. Devagupta (1016 A.D.) in his Nava-padaprakaraṇa (verses 48-50) has described kāma in various ways. "Brahma (abstinence from sexual intercourse) is of eighteen kinds, nine relating to celestial females (vaikriya) and nine to terrestrial females (audārika), Maithuna (copulation) is twofold, relating to vaikriya and audārika classes and the latter is again divided into animal and human categories. Under this last head are distinguished : svadāra (one's own wife or concubine), para-dāra (any woman under the authority of another man), and veśyā (a prostitute who is considered to have no owner)." (Williams, p. 84). Even
rcourse, by some other ways also, sexual manifestation is expressed. These are
smaranam kirtanam keliḥ preksaņam guhya-bhāṣaṇam/ saņkalpo' dhyavasāyasca kriyā-niruộtir eva ca// etan maithunam aștāngam pravadanti manīșiņah/ viparītam brahmacaryam etad evāșta-lakṣaṇam//
(quoted by Mallinātha in his Kirāta 1.1)
“Passionate remembrance (smaraṇam), wistful