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The Conduct of a Householder
131
means putting limit to the use of objects of up abhoga and paribhoga in order to minimise attachment to them.
According to Ratnakaraṇḍa-śravakācāra, a thing may be renounced for the whole life, in which case it is called yama or for a limited period, in which case it is called niyama.1 It seems that as yama, or a vow taken for the whole life, it is taken to be gunavrata; and as niyama, it is taken to be a sikṣāvrata. That is, perhaps, the reason why there are two traditions about this vow as shown above. Things which should be renounced for the whole life include2 meat and honey which cause misery to those living beings who are possessed of more than one sense, (2) intoxicants like wine, opium etc., (3) such objects which cause injury to anantakayajiva or infinite living being, possessed of one sense, like ginger, raddish, carrot, butter, etc. (4) unsuitable means of conveyance or unsuitable ornaments, (5) the use of bizarre dresses.
The main idea is that such objects as are unnecessary and cause hurdle in the spiritual development should be renounced for the whole life as this causes no difficulty for the aspirant even from worldly point of view. Objects, the renunciation of which, even though desirable, may create difficulty for a householder, may be renounced for a limited period only. Amongst such things are included food, conveyance, couch, betel-leaf, clothes, ornaments, music, singing, etc.3
Svāmikārtikeya has pointed out that the householder should renounce those things which he possesses or is likely to possess. Where is the use of renouncing a thing which one is not likely to possess? Amṛtacandra says that even such things as are not generally prohibited should be renounced for a limited period under this vow.5 The idea of all these ācāryas is that giving up objects of bhoga and upabhoga should not
1. Ratnakaranḍaśrävakācāra, 87. Also Sagaradharmamṛta, 5.14.
2. Sāgāradharmāmṛta, 5.15-17.
3. Ratnakaraṇḍaśrāvakācāra, 88-89.
4. Kartikeyanuprekṣā, 351.
5. Puruşarthasiddhyupaya, 164,
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