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Jainism: The Cosmic Vision
48 consecutive minutes in a peaceful mental state, not allowing passions of attachment, aversion, etc. to rise in the mind. For this period of time, the vower contemplates on the nature of self, reads spiritual works, conducts self-examination, etc.
(10) Vow of reducing for a limited period of time the limits of the area set forth by the vower himself in the sixth vow (desavakasika-vrata):
The objective of the vow is to increase the refrainment from worldly activities and to suppress or contract the concessions the vower himself has kept while taking other
VOWS.
(11) Vow of observing fast and living like a monk for certain days (poshadha):
The objective of this vow is to make the householder relish the nectar of the life of total refrainment from all worldly activites.
(12) Vow of sharing with deserving guests (atithi-samvibhagavrata):
To offer necessities of life (food, medicine, etc.) to the saintly monks as also to the benevolent noble persons engaged in the service of the people is the meaning of the present vow. The vow also means to help the miserable and the poor.
SIXTEEN SOTERIOLOGICAL REFLECTIONS
1. Transitoriness : According to the first sermon of the Tirthankara, it is the nature of modes (transformations, composite things) to originate and to get destroyed while it is the nature of substance to continue for ever. Wealth, prosperity, youth, power, strength and associations with loved ones - all these are impermanent as they depend on past karmas. Having
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