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restrictions are on taking bath, night-eating, loose loincloth, etc. Its observance is prescribed for a minimum period of one to three days and a maximum of five months. 6. Brahmacarya Pratimā – The lay faithful is now ready to give up sexual indulgence completely albeit for a limited duration. He undertakes this pratimă for a minimum period of one to three days and for a maximum of six months.
7. Sacitta-tyāga Pratimā Having practised the six advanced practices, he is now in a position to give up the use of live uncooked and unprocessed foods and other items of necessity. He does this for a minimum period of one to three days and for a maximum of seven months. 8. Ārambha-tyāga Pratimā – In this observance he gives up doing anything involving even minute violence himself. The minimum period of this observance is also one to three days and the maximum is eight months. 9. Preśyarambha–tyāga Pratima - Here, he also gives up getting tasks involving violence done by the others. The only concession he has is to accept the food cooked for him. He undertakes this pratima for a minimum period of one to three days and for a maximum of nine months. 10. Uddista-Bhakta-tyāga Pratimă - At this stage he also gives up the food cooked for him. This he does for a minimum period of one to three days and for a maximum of ten months.
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11. Śramanabhūta Pratimā – In this final advanced spiritual practice, to be undertaken by the householders, a lay follower leads the life like an ascetic except that he still maintains his worldly relations and begs for food etc only from his relatives, friends and acquaintances. Like the monks he stays in the prayer-halls, plucks his hair or gets tonsured and accepts the rules of five-way vigilance and three-way restraints. The minimum period of this observance is also one to three days and the maximum is eleven months.
SĀGĀRA VINAYA (THE HOUSEHOLDERS' CONDUCT): 269
