Jain Journal 1974 04

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

Page 86

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JAIN JOURNAL
seems to have come about, in so far as now and for some time past the Order of monks is recruited chiefly from novices entering it at an early age, not from laymen in general. It cannot be doubted that this close union between laymen and monks brought about by the similarity of their religious duties, differing not in kind, but in degree, has enabled Jainism to avoid fundamental changes within, and to resist dangers from without for more than two thousand years, while Buddhism, being less exacting as regards the laymen, underwent the most extra-ordinary evolutions and finally disappeared in the country of its origin.
Amonk on entering the Order takes the five great vows stated above ; if they are strictly kept, in the spirit of the five times five clauses, or bhāvanās (SBE, xxii, 202 ff.) no new karma can form. But, to practise them effectually, more explicit regulations are required, and these constitute the discipline of the monks.
This discipline is described under seven heads :
(1) Since through the activity of body, speech, and mind, which is technically called yoga by the Jainas, karma-matter, pours into the soul (äsrava) and forms new karma as explained above, it is necessary, in order to prevent the asrava (or to effect samvara), to regulate those activities by keeping body, speech, and mind in strict control: these are the three guptis, (e.g., the gupti or guarding of the mind consists in not thinking or desiring anything bad ; having only good thoughts, etc.). (2) Even in those actions which are inseparable from the duties of a monk, he may become guilty of sin by inadvertently transgressing the great vows, (e.g., killing living beings). To avoid such sins he must observe the five samitis, i.e., he must be cautious in walking, speaking, collecting alms, taking up or putting down things, and voiding the body ; e.g., a monk should in walking look before him for about six feet of ground to avoid killing or hurting any living being ; he should, for the same reason, inspect and sweep the ground before he puts anything on it ; he should be careful not to eat anything considered to possess life, etc.31 (3) Passion being the cause of the amalgamation of karmamatter with the soul, the monk should acquire virtues. The 4 cardinal vices (kasāya) are anger, pride, illusion, and greed ; their opposite virtues are forebearance, indulgence, straightforwardness, and purity. Adding to them the following 6 virtues, veracity, restraint, austerities, freedom
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The belief in colours of the soul seems to be very old and to go back to the time when expressions like a black soul', 'a bright soul', were understood in a literal when expressions conco
u rs sense. Traces of a similar belief have also been found elsewere (see Mahabharta, xii, 280, 33 f., 291, 4 ff. ; cf. Yogasutra, iv, 7).