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Ācārāngacan seek shelters and clothing. Even if the other ascetics may have to seek food etc under special circumstances the items brought by them are not used by other ascetics. 4. Vigilant Care Of Equipage (Ādāna-bhanda Niksepanā
Samiti) -
The ascetics are required to carefully inspect and maintain all their possessions such as clothes, utensils, books, etc twice a day in the first fourths of the first and the last quarters. To take these items carefully, to clean them carefully so as to avoid killing or hurting any living being, how-so-ever small and to put them back on swept ground equally carefully after such an inspection and maintenance is vigilant care or ‘Ādāna Bhandamātra Niksepaņā Samiti'. The four considerations of this vigilance are 1. To take and put back, after inspection and cleaning, carefully, 2. To inspect and clean all the area under use, 3. To carry out such inspection twice a day at appointed hours, and 4. To be duly concerned about the timely inspections and cleaning. Even the ground for disposal of wastes and excretions is required to be inspected and cleared, before hand, during the day-light hours and swept again just before disposing of something.
The reason for this provision is that anything that lies unused for some time harbours small insects and microscopic organism. Timely inspection, airing and cleaning prevents such harbouring and growth and consequent violence towards them.
The procedure for such inspections and cleaning has also been very carefully drawn and requires that the ascetics perform these tasks, with utmost care, by separating individual items and unfolding them for proper scrutiny. They are not supposed to shake them violently and not to distract themselves in other activities while carrying out these inspections and cleaning.
ANAGĀRA VINAYA (THE MONASTIC CONDUCT): 299
