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Defensive violence if necessary however, is allowed for the householder in order to protect his country, society, family, religious institutions, and property. Injury to life is also permitted to householders who might commit it during their vocational calling such as agricultural, industrial or other occupational activities. Injury should be limited to the minimum possible extent.
The second vow demands that one must not only abstain from telling lies, but also avoid using harsh or abusive language. Language that hurts the feelings of others or amounts to ridiculing, backbiting and flattery should also be avoided. The third vow achauryaanuvrata demands abstaining from stealing, robbing, or misappropriation of others' property. It also includes abstinence from cheating and using dishonest or illegal means in acquiring any worldly possessions. The fourth vow, shil anuvrata demands abstention from having sexual relations with anyone except one's own lawfully wedded spouse. The fifth, parigraha-parimanaanuvrata requires the imposition of a limit on one's needs, acquisitions and possessions.
During the course of observing the above discussed five vows a householder has to guard himself against committing certain infringements and transgressions
such as tying up living beings or keeping them in bondage, mutilating them, beating them, overloading them and starving them, in the case of the first vow; preaching falsehood, divulging other people's secrete, forgery, misappropriation, and disclosure of a man and wife's secret talk, in the case of the second vow; adulteration, abetment of theft, receiving stolen property, violation of government laws, and use of false weights and measures, in the case of the third vow; avoidable match making, intercourse with an unchaste married person, prostitution, unnatural offence or sex perversion and inordinate sex desire, in the case of the fourth vow; and to exceed the limits set by oneself with regard to landed property, movable effects and riches, servants, pet animals, and other worldly goods, in the case of the fifth vow (Jain, J. P. 1983: 86-87).
31 Jains in India and Abroad
