Jainism by Vividus

Author(s): Ramnik V Shah
Publisher: Ramnik V Shah Canada

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(6) Ratribhojantyaga Pratima ; stage at which one completely gives up meals at night ; (7) Brahmacharya Pratima: stage at which one observes complete celibacy even with one's wife. At the Vrata Pratima stage which is second in the sequence, a householder is not required to observe such celibacy ; (8) Arambha tyaga Pratima: stage at which while totally giving up commencement of new activities one gives up all household affairs and occupation ; (9) Parigraha tyaga Pratima : stage at which one gives up all claims to properties and various other accumulations of possessions ; (10) Anumati tyaga Pratima : stage at which one gives up giving consent or advice in worldly affairs and (11) Uddista tyaga Pratima: this is the last stage before one launches upon the much arduous career of a saint when one gives up even taking food specially cooked for oneself.
A Jaina house holder thus prepares himself before giving up his roof, his wife, his children, his parents, his land and his wealth for the roof of star-bespangled canopy of the heavens and the wider realm of love and sympathy for the whole living creation.
In the last stage, there are two divisions : one is ..Kshullaka," the stage when leaving everything else, one keeps for covering oneself a sheet of cloth like a bed-sheet or a shawl over and above one's underpants, study books (scriptures), a bunch of peacock feathers and a jar : the other is "Ailaka", who discards even this sheet and is satisfied with what thereafter remain. The stage at which one discards even the underpants, making oneself completely sky-clad (naked). keeping scripture, jar and feather-bunch only as one's possessions is the stage of the Saint.
Such Saints are indeed a rare sight today anywhere in the world, even India.
In Shwetambaras, the practice appears to be of initiation into 'monkhood' at early stages in the observance of vratas
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