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Jaina Acāra : Siddhanta aura Swarūpa
103 experienced monks for necessary guidance. If there be food already prepared, they may partake of it, otherwise not.
The head preceptor, his associate and the like should be well received by other monks when they visit their abode. Their feet should be wiped. They should be welcomed with open arms, with perfect devotion and all care.
Monks and nuns are permitted to be with such as are expert in the knowledge of Acarāniga. If monks of another federation wish to join your Order, they should be treated well provided their conduct is right, devoid of gross sins, not subject to anger and other passions, conscious of their own faults and desirous of reforming themselves. The rule is that a male shall be initiated by a senior male and vice versa, but in special circumstances a male may initiate a female when it becomes impossible for her to stay with her parents because of her strong detachment, but she must soon be handed over to the head nun. Likewise a nun may initiate a man.
Nuns must not move to places infested by thieves and scoundrels, but monks may, because of their robust constitution. The nuns' cloths might be stolen and there may be serious obstruction to the observance of their vows. In the case of conflict between monks and ruffians, monks may go to them and apologise but nuns must not move out. All of them have to be under the strict supervision of their seniors.
Monks should take as many beds, sheets etc. as they may lift with one hand and reach their abode in three days with that much weight. An old, learned monk may take five days to do it all. An old monk may take a staff, a pot, an umbrella, a pillow and a plank which he may put on his back, cloth, curtain, a plank for self-study, a leather-bag, leather to wrap him with etc. What he needs and can take he should keep to himself and the rest may be deposited with some householder. They may be asked for when needed.
Some monk may sometime forget to take something with him and leave it behind with some householder. The latter gives it to some other monk with the request that it may be handed over to its owner. If no monk claims it, none should use it. It may only be placed aside at a faultless, safe place.
Monks must not accept food from the householder at whose house they happen to be staying.
There are two special vows mentioned here. One is “Yavamadhyacandra'. It means that in the middle it is thick like a barley granule and thin on either side. The other vow is 'Vajramadhyacandra'. It means that in the middle it is thin like a thunderbolt but thick on either side. He who observes the first vow remains free from attachment for a month and suffers every thing received from a god, a man or a sub-human being or
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