Jaina Path of Ahimsa

Author(s): Vilas Sangve
Publisher: Bhagwan Mahavir Research Centre

Page 57

The Jaina Path Of Ahimsā
6) Dyūta, i.e., gambling.
In elaboration of these sinful things, the following restrictions have been placed on the behaviour of householders :
1. One should never think of hunting, victory, defeat, battle, adultery, theft, etc., because these things only lead to sin.
2. Sinful advice should never be given to persons living upon art, trade, writing, agriculture, arts, and crafts, service and industry.
3. One should not without reason dig ground, uproot trees, trample lawns, sprinkle water, and pluck leaves, fruits and flowers.
4. One should be careful not to give instruments of Himsā, such as knife, poison, fire, plough, sword, bow, etc.
5. One should not listen to, accept or teach such bad stories as increase attachments, etc., and are full of absurdities.
6. One should renounce . gambling even from a distance because it is the first of all evils, the destroyer of contentment, the home of deceit, and the abode of theft and falsehood.
Obviously, it has been emphasised that he who deliberately renounces all these and other unnecessary sins, leads his Ahimsā vow ceaselessly upto admirable victory.
(vii) Ahimsā and Sikshā-vratas :
The Šikshā-vratas are disciplinary vows since they are aimed to prepare the householder for the discipline of an ascetic life and are meant to strengthen the five main vows or Anu-vratas. The Sikshū-vratas include four Vratas, viz., (a) Sāmāyika, (b) Proshadhopavāsa, (C) Upabloga-paribhoga-parimāna,and (d) Atithi-samnvibhāga.
(a) Sämāyika means taking a vow to devote particular time every day to contemplation of the self for spiritual advancement. It teaches a person to be equanimous, that is, to be indifferent to love or hate, pain or pleasure, loss or gain, etc. This attitude of equanimity makes the observance of Ahimsā more complete as Sāmāyika involves the absence of all sinful activities.
(b) Proshadhopavāsa means taking a vow to fast on four days of the month, namely, the two 8th and the two 14th days of the lunar fortnight. Such regular fasting helps the practice of Sāmāyika, i.e., equanimity, Dhyāna, i.e., spiritual meditation, and Svādhāya, i.e., self-study. Obviously, such observance of fasting secures the merit of Ahiriisā in completeness for that period.