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Lord Mahâvîra
Recognition of the equality of all living beings is the chief feature of Jaina asceticism. The greatest temptation in this world are women; and so the monks are advised to avoid women and withdraw their mind from them. The true road to deliverance lies in right knowledge, right faith and right conduct (ratna traya) and austerities, He who sincerely performs all his duties by these methods, attains purity and gets rid of all miseries. The karmas must be annihilated by austerities, both external and internal. On the Jaina monks engaged in austerities were imposed severe restrictions of food, drink, clothes, sleep, etc. Mahâvîra himself renounced bathing, cleaning the teeth, etc. and took on special penances. 58 External austerity is of six kinds:59 (i) Anasana (fasting), (ii) Avamodarika (abstinence), (iii) Bhikshacharya (collecting alms), (iv) Rasatyaga (abstention from dainty food), (v) Kayaklesa (mortification) and (vi) Pratisam linata (restraint of passions). Internal austerity are also of six kinds: (1) Prayaschitta (explation of sins); (2) Vinaya (politeness); (3) Vaiyaurtya (serving the guru); (4) Svadhyaya (study); (5) Dhyana (meditation); and (6) Vyutsarga (abandoning of the body).
The essential duties of a monk are sixfold. They are, as mentioned in the Uttarâ. Sut. thus: (1) Samyayika (moral and intellectual purity of the soul); (2) Chaturvimsatistava (adoration of 24 Jinas) (3) Vandana (paying reverence to the guru), (4) Pratikramana (expi- ation of sins); (5) Kayotsarga (a particular position of the body); and (6) Pratyakhyana (self-denial).60
The standard of moral discipline and self-control was set by Mahâvîra who preached five great vows (supra) to regulate the lives of monks and nuns. The first great vow of a monk is ahimsa. He must renounce all killing of living creatures, whether subtle or gross, whether movable or immovable.
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The second great vow is that the monk must 'renounce all vices of lying speech' (Savvao mushavayao viramanam) and so he should speak after deliberation and should renounce anger, greed, fear and mirth.
The third great vow is that the monk must 'renounce all taking of anything not given' (Savvao adinnadanao viramanam). He should beg after deliberation for a limited ground; consume his food and drink with the permission of his superior, take possession of a limited part of a ground for a fixed time, renew
