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and vocal discipline of its followers to the minutest details. There are, therefore, rules that govern the DOs and DON'Ts for the Jaina clergy in the matters of walking, talking, and thinking, as well as in seeking and consuming or using necessities such as food, clothing study material etc and discarding and disposal of wastes. These are at two levels -- Prescriptive and Prohibitive. Five types of vigilance (Pañca Samiti) fall in the first category while the three types of restraints (Trigupti) fall in the second. Samitis constitute the DOs as they tell the clergy as to how to do while Guptis constitute the DONTs as they tell it as to how not to do things. This chapter deals with these DOs and DON'Ts.
This alertness and self-control guards the purity and thereby protects the sanctity of the five great monastic vows. Therefore, taken together, these are also known as Pravacan Mātā or the godmother of monastic wisdom. To understand this status, we must appreciate that these DOs and DON'Ts are at the conduct level, which, in turn, are guided by knowledge and vision or ‘monastic wisdom'.
Samiti – Cautious or watchful action with due care and attention is called 'vigilance' or 'Samiti'. The Jaina thought talks of five-way vigilance to be observed by the members of its ascetic order. The five areas of activity in which an ascetic is expected to be vigilant are – 1. Exercising vigilance in moving from place to place (Iryā Samiti), 2. Exercising vigilance in the use of language while talking or preaching (BhāsāSamiti), 3. Exercising vigilance in seeking food etc. (Esaņā Samiti), 4. Exercising vigilance in looking after monastic equipage (Ādānabhanda Niksepaņā Samiti), and 5. Exercising vigilance in disposal of wastes and excretions (Paristhāpanikā Samiti). It can be seen that Samitis are prescriptive in nature for they advocate cautious or watchful action.
Gupti - Withholding improper action is called self-control or Gupti. Depending on the type of activity to be withheld, they 294 : JAINISM: THE CREED FOR ALL TIMES
