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Jaina Acāra : Siddhanta aura Swarūpa
quadrupeds like elephant, horse, donkey, bullock, goat, cow, buffalo etc. (9) Kupya or Gopya - all other articles except those of gold and silver are included under this head. Some preceptors take it to mean all household property, as utensils, clothes, sofa-sets, tables, chairs, almirahs, fans, television, radio, car, scooter, cycle etc. What is used for business comes under ‘Dhana'. A householder cannot give up the use of things. He is merely to set limit to his needs. The limit be self-imposed in the manner given below:
(i) Substance : That a householder shall not desire things not specified or determined earlier.
(ü) Place : That he will have nothing from beyond the specified
region.
(iii) Time : That he will not desire things for so many days, months, years, or throughout life.
(iv) Determination : That he will have nothing more than the specified limit. This will decrease and never increase wants.
Some people do not have much property at the time of accepting the vow but set very high limits, perhaps beyond their reach. Others, when they possess more than the limit and so transfer the rest to their wives, children or for the purpose of marriages at a later date. It is taken as trust money. But all these are subterfuges and hence improper. There are five transgressions of it in the order mentioned above. The excess money should be used by way of charity.
Samantabhadra says that too many conveyances, too much of hoarding, avarice and shouldering too many responsibilitties are deflections of the vow so much so that they make the lay votary too weak to observe the vow. The observance of this vow makes one simple and frugal and thus capable of enjoying peace of mind.
Gunavrata vow means acquisition of religious merit. Gunavratas help one to observe small vows. In the past times ramparts were constructed to protect the boundaries of a city. These vows are ramparts to protect the city of small vows. If small vows are gold, these are its lastingly glittering polish. If small vows are an open book, these are its cover or binding (as of a book).
(1) Disāparimāņavrata - The fifth small vow concerns the limitation of money. People are busy amassing wealth but its limitless accumulation becomes puzzling. This body-worship leads to the virtual demise of the soul. Hence a lay votary vows not to transgress the accepted territorial limits. An ascetic does nothing sinful. His mission of life is to advance on the spiritual plane and lead votaries to the farthest limit possible. Pl. Jawaharalal Nehru. as the then Prime Minister of India, had initiated five ways of limitation, one
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