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Jaina Acāra : Siddhanta aura Swarūpa . 101 river, if she slips she may be given support by a monk. Monks and nuns are not expected to touch one another. This apparent deviation is only an exception, since this is something humanitarian and so sinless.
(19) Vyavahārasūtra - This and Vșhatkalpa are complementary to each other. It also contains ten chapters. In the first section you read about varying months of expiation. For different kinds of faults, corresponding atonements have been prescribed. The severity or otherwise is judged by the defaulter's sincerity or insincerity. The preceptor himself deals with serious offences and asks them to expiate for a month or two, depending on the sincerity or otherwise of their confession. The duration may have to be extended for a month, when he knows that the confession is deceitful. The maximum period is six months. An aspirant should accept atonement for each fault and go on purifying himself. Even after the prescribed expiation if he commits some faults again because of negligence or other reason the same process has to be repeated. These atonements are a sort of punishment and hence such defaulters are segregated. There can be no association with them without permission from the old, learned monks. If the defaulter disobeys, his seniority is affected. If the preceptor himself asks some defaulter to serve other saints, there is no objection to such service. If a monk leaves his Order for self-realization but realises later his mistake he should return to his fold and accept demotion in seniority for his aberration. He may have to be initiated afresh.
In the absence of the initiator or his next assistant a monk should confess to some other learncd, old ascetic and ask for expiation from him. In his absence the next one who himself may not be free from fault may do the job. If he, too is not available, a respectable householder should be approached. If none is available, the defaulter should go out of the city or village as the case may be. With his face to the east or north direction and folded hands he should confess, because sincere confession and repentance thereafter ensure purification of life.
In the second chapter you read that if two monks of good conduct are together and one of them should have committed some sin, the defaulter should confess to his associate. If both of them are defaulters, they should confess to each other but not lightly. The defaulter alone is punishable, not the innocent one. If perchance all are defaulters, all but one should confess and later the remaining one also should do it. Thus they should all do for their betterment in all spheres.
If a defaulter who is atoning for his sin, falls ill, he should not be expelled. It is the duty of the dispenser of justice to care for him till he recovers completely. One with perturbed mind also deserves sympathy. On his becoming normal, a nominal atonement should suffice. Another one might be provoked and start behaving like a mad person. He should be given
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