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Jaina Philosophy and Religion
passions, whatever means are adopted for placing under burning hardship one's body, organs and mind—they all are called tapas or austerity. And it has been very well explained that the importance of the external austerity lies simply in its being conducive to the growth of the internal one. In other words, the Jaina saints teach that the external austerity should assist in our efforts to reach the stage of the internal austerity. Thus the former is merely a means to the latter. In this classification of austerity into external and internal types there are included all the gross and refined rules pertaining to religiosity.
As stated above, according to the Jainas, there are two types of austerity-external and internal.
External Austerity External austerity is of six types. They are as follows. (1) Anasana—to give up food for one or more days. (2) Avamaudarya or Unodarī to eat less than what the hunger demands. (3) Vịttisamkṣepa—to reduce greed in relation to various sorts of things. (4) Rasaparityāga-to give up delicacies like ghee, milk, honey, butter, etc., as also wine, etc. which, when consumed, cause harm to both-the body and the mind. The purpose behind the observance of this external austerity is to gain control over the desire for relishing sweet juices. That we may not long for and hanker after delicacies, that we may get accustomed to tasteless food and that out of our desire for enjoying delicious dishes we may not eat more than what is needed for the nourishment of the body-are the purposes behind the practice of this austerity. Wine is to be given up for all times and places, because it is harmful always at all places. But the harmless, nutritive substances like ghee, milk, etc., could be taken in due proportion with a view to making our life good and developing it. To take them more than they are needed for achieving this purpose is harmful, while to take them in required proportion only is beneficial. (5) Viviktaśayyāsanasamlīnatā—to reside (for the spiritual benefit) in a lonely place free from all disturbances. (6) Kāyakleśa—to place one's body under stress through cold or heat, through adopting diverse postures and the like. The purpose behind this austerity is to cultivate the power of endurance so that in future in adverse times one can endure bodily hardships and maintain mental peace and equanimity. If the mortification of the body is undertaken with a view to simply causing pain and torture to the body, or influencing others, or surprising others, or rousing pity in others to obtain
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