Kathakoca or Treasury of Stories

Author(s): C H Tawney
Publisher: Oriental Books Reprint Corporation New Delhi

Page 16

xiy
instance, the first precept, not to do injury to living beings (ahimsá), involves the utmost circumspection in eating, drinking, and walking, so as to avoid injury to any living creatures. Consequently Jain ascetics have to wear & mouth-protector, to prevent insects from entering their mouths, and to carry a broom and a straining-cloth. The broom is used by them for sweeping the road, and the place where they walk or sit down, in order to remove insects. The straining-cloth is, of course, used for straining water.* For the same reason, they are not allowed to travel during the four months of the rainy season, when insect life is most abundant.f The Jain monk must also be careful not to injure eggs, seeds and sprouts. He must, if he is young and strong, wear only one robe; in any case, not more than three. He has to submit to the tonsure, or apparently, according to the strict letter of the law, to tear out his hair. He has to subsist by begging, and is forbidden to remain for more than one night in the same village, except during the rainy season. He has to observe the most strict fasts, to stand motionless in unnatural positions, and eventually he is expected to starve himself to death by abstaining from sixty meals.
The rules binding on laymen are less strict. The layman is expected to abstain from gross (sthúla) violation of the five precepts. Fidelity to the marriage vow takes the place of absolute chastity, and a promise not to increase one's wealth by unfair means, that of absolute renunciation of property. Nevertheless, it must be remarked that the
* Jacobi's Introduction to his translation of the . Acháránga Sútra,
p. xxviii.
+ Bühler's Vortrag, p. 13.
Jacobi and Bühler have shown that most of these rules are copied from those laid down for Bráhman ascetics. It would appear from the Aupapátika Sútra' (ed. Leumann), $ 29, that an ascetic may remain five nights in a town.
& According to Hofrath Bühler, this is considered by the strict Digambaras indispensable for all ascetics. Even the Cvetámbaras consider it a sure road to Nirváņa. He adds that even now the heads of the Digambara sect end their lives in this way.