________________
156
SEVENTH VRATA. Bhogopabhoga-parimâna vrata. Bhoga means that which can be enjoyed or used many times, and upabhoga that which can be enjoyed or used only once, such as cakes (food).
Things which cau be used are of these two kinds, therefore the vow is to limit the number of things coming under these two heads.
This helps the first five vows,
This vow includes the limitation of tlie activities you will engage in to get the things you use. So there are two divisions in this vow :
1. In regard to the things that you enjoy. It a layman can he should use only things which are inanimate. If he cannot then he will have to use things that are animate ; but he must number them and limit thenı ; he should give up flesh foods, also things (vegetables) in which there are infinite lives in the one body, such as carrots, turnips, potatoes (things that grow underground). But there is more to be said on this point.
2. In regard to the activities in which the layman should engage in order to obtain the things he uses ; they should be faultless, sinless (but not sin in the Christian sense, sin here means sin against your own soul, obstructing its virtues). If he is
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
