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BRAHMESHANANDA : TAPAS IN JAINISM
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fulfilled, otherwise he goes without food. Sometimes the conditions are too difficult to be fulfilled and the monk goes without food for many days.
(4) Rasaparityaga. This, again, pertains to food and consists in giving up palatable food in general and milk, curd, ghee, oil, sugar, and salt in particular. The monk does not live to eat but eats to live. The purpose of this tapas is to subdue the senses, to overcome sleep, and to achieve an unobstructed study of scriptures.
(5) Residence in Lonely Places (viviktasayyasana). A monk should choose for his residence a secluded place unfrequented by women, worldly-minded people, and animals. This helps in the observance of the vow of chastity and the practice of meditation and introspection.
(6) Mortification of the Body (kayaklesha). This consists in infliction of some pain to the body by adopting certain postures like virasana. Or by exposing it to extremes of heat and cold. The purpose of this austerity is to develop forbearance and to counteract inordinate attachment to pleasure.
Jain scriptures clearly point out that the practice of these external austerities' must not produce mental unrest or hinder in any way the practice of other moral and spiritual disciplines. On the contrary, they must reduce body-consciousness and enchance spiritual insight.16 They must lead to 'internal austerities.'17 The knowledge acquired in a convenient situation vanishes when one is exposed to inconvenience. So an aspirant must not hesitate to expose himself to inconveniences according to his capacity.18
Internal Tapas
(1) Atonement (prayaschitta). Acts done for the atonement of sins are called prayascitta and are given great importance in all religions because they absolve the person of the sense of guilt, purify him, and help him to climb again the path of virtue. Prayaschitta consists in voluntarily confessing the transgression and gladly accepting the
16. Mulachara of Vattakeracharya; commentary by Vasanandin, Bombay; Vir
Samvat 1977; 5. 161. Quoted by Dayananda Bhargava in Jaina Ethics,
Motilal Banarasidas, 1968, p. 184. 17. Samantabhadra, Svayambhustotra, 83; quoted by Dayananda Bhargava,
op.cit., p. 184. 18. Samana Suttam, op.cit., 453.
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