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112
JAINA CULTURE
forbids adultery. Desisting from desire for sexual union with a married or unmarried womán or man who is not one's own wife or husband forms the essence of this vow. It prohibits casting evil glances at other women or men. It is positive in the sense of contentment with one's own wife or husband and negative in that of avoidance of the wives or husbands of others.
All sexual intercourse is to be condemned in the case of an ascetic. A lay-votary may be permitted, if he or she cannot resist the sex-urge, to have recourse to a limited use of his own wife or her own husband. If this restriction were not enforced, there would be a grave danger of a man having carnal connection with his mother or sister or daughter. Sexual intercourse with a prostitute etc. is also forbidden.
Limited Property :
The iccha-parimann (limiting one's desires) or parigraha- . parimāna. (limiting one's possessions) vow is concerned with setting limits for one's land, money, gold, grain etc. The limits are in the form of a man's self-imposed restrictions on the extent of his property. This vow of limited possessions is based on limited desires. It is essential to restrict desires in order to restrict possessions. In all forms of possessions violence is implicit. It is, therefore, implied that if possessions are limited, violence, i. e., harmful activity is reduced to that extent.
Attachment to possessions is at the root of all evils. If a person possesses the idea of 'this is mine', he has to safeguard it. In safeguarding it violence is likely to occur. For its sake he may tell a lie. He may also commit a theft in connection with that object. Hence, limiting one's possessions or attachment to possessions is essential to curb evils.
The guņavratas cover a certain number of long-term restraints, whereas the sikşāvratas represent recurring exercises in
