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Teachings of Mahāvira
131
CODE OF CONDUCT FOR ASCETICS
Mahāvīra also prescribed certain rules of conduct for ascetics. These rules are classified under such general heads as begging, walking, modes of speech, entry into other's possessions, postures, place of study, and attending to the calls of nature. Here begging includes begging food and drink, begging a bowl, begging clothes, and begging a residence or a couch. Under these subheads are to be found the rules governing the modes of eating, drinking, and lying down. Walking includes travelling, crossing, swimming and other forms of movement. The postures are those that are involved in religious exercises.
The reasons why these rules have been laid down are grounded in such general principles as the avoidance of situations in which the monk or nun may be guilty of hurting or killing all forms of life, or of inconveniencing others, or of wounding the social, moral, or religious scruples of others, the avoidance of situations in which the monk or nun may run the risk of endangering his own position or of receiving bodily injuries, or of feeling discomfort, or of being found guilty of theft or trespass, or of moral degradation, or of mental perturbation, and the avoidance of all situations in which the monk or nun may be found acting under the slightest influcnce of greed, ill-will, evil intention, discontent, delusion, inconsideration, haughtiness, and the like. DISCIPLINE
A monk on receiving an order from his superior goes to him, watching the movement of his head and motions. He is well-bchaved. He who desires his own welfare should adherc to the rules of good conduct." He w10 desires libcration will be received everywhere. He should acquire valuable linowledge and avoid what is worthless. He should rather bc mock than talkative in the presence of thic wise. A monk should avoid untruth and never tell anything sinful or incaningless or 1. Urcra, 1, 2, 2. Ibid, 6. 3. Ibid, 7. 4. Ibid, s,
