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Celebrating Jain Center of Houston Pratishtha Mahotsav 1995
Nowadays, of course, with much greater opportunities for education for the laity, there are many distinguished lay scholars of Jain religion and practices, but the tradition of monastic scholarship is still strong. The ceremony of diksa, or initiation as a monk or nun is a great step in the life of a religious Jain. The rituals are carried out with the greatest solemnity and frequently with much ceremony. The aspirant solemnly takes the five great vows of:
possible to the laity. This constant watchfulness does not only result in the protection of life but also has its effects in the spiritual development of the individual mendicant. During the rainy season (chaturmas) the mendicant will stay in one place so that the harm to the burgeoning life of this time, which might be occasioned by the monk or nun traveling around, is minimized. Towns and villages seek mendicants who are particularly respected for their piety and teaching to stay with them during chaturmas and give religious instruction. At other times of the year the monks and nuns travel in groups from one place to another (SO that they do not get attached to a particular location) always on foot, for the use of any form of transport is forbidden. (For this reason Jain monks, unlike the Buddhists have not been able to spread their faith overseas). The greater danger of harm to small creatures resulting from the use of wheeled vehicles is the main reason for this prohibition.
Non-violence Truthfulness Non-Stealing Celibacy Renunciation of possessions.
The hair of the head is plucked out (as it is recorded was done by Mahavira). It is a lifetime commitment to a life which needs the greatest determination and strength of will but brings, it is certain, great rewards.
The rigors of the mendicant life means that relatively few people enter it. This is particularly true of the Digambaras: the total number of Digambara monks had fallen a few years ago to around 150. Hence some of the religious functions which in the Svetambara sect are carried out by monks, are undertaken among the Digambaras by religious 'ministers' (the word 'priests' would not be accurate) called bhattarakas.
S:43:
4
"Even the Gods bow down to he whose mind is always centered in religion"
(Das Vaikalika Sutra)
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