________________
52
Jaina Philosophy and Religion
that is punishable by the state and lowers him in the eyes of the people. Even an ordinary act of theft committed by man proves him a liar and dishonest person, makes him a target of public censure and his vow an object of ridicule, and shakes the faith of others in religion. The observer of this vow should always remember this.
The result of the observance of this vow is that you are trusted, and in that way you prosper. Also the character is developed. If the choice not to steal is not made, or if it is soiled, then the result is untrustworthiness, also there is legal punishment, also you cannot carry out your ideas on account of not being trusted. Gross Vow of Refraining from all Illicit Sexual Contacts (Sthula Maithunaviramaņa) This vow means to avoid any sexual contact with the wives of others. It covers even the avoidance of sexual contacts with harlots, widows and unmarried women. All sexual contacts, except the moderatel ones, with one's own wife should also be avoided?. Similarly, a woman should avoid
1. Moderate sexual contact generally means sexual intercourse undertaken with the objective
of saving and protecting the valuable semen, that is, with the objective of not unnecessarily wasting it, and with the sole intention of procreation. Use of semen is not limited to procreation alone. It can also be used specially in enhancing the mental and bodily energy, in developing will-power and in preserving health, in short, in achieving the bodily, mental, material and spiritual progress. Blinded by sexual infatuation, man who indulges in excessive sexual activities invites ruin of his body and mind and this, in turn, makes him unfit for the enjoyment of material happiness as also for procreation; not only that but it (=excessive indulgence in the sexual acts) also destroys will-power which is absolutely necessary for the accomplishment of any act-even for the attainment of liberation and throws him into the deep dark valley of degradation. Semen has creative power and its use can be made in noble acts other than procreation. Those who are engaged in study or creation of scientific and literary works and in the service of mankind, or those who are engrossed in meditation of the highest goal, in finding out the paths leading to it and in living a life in accordance with them have no time at all to think of sex. And it is such great men who can completely refrain from all sexual activities. To control any power (sex urge is also a power), the unfailing means is not its suppression. Like a spring the suppressed power springs up with great force. The true and unfailing means to control it is to divert it into the beneficial and wholesome acts, that is, to sublimate it. This is like channelising or diverting the rushing waters of flood into the canals before they play havoc in destroying lives and property. If it is not diverted in other elevating and noble acts, then in its flood one will be dragged away
and drowned. 2. șandhatvam indriyacchedam viksyābrahmaphalaṁ sudhih/
bhavet svadārasantusto'nyadārān vā vivarjayet/1-Yogaśāstra, Acārya Hemacandra, II.76
7
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
