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Teachings of Mahāvīra
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should not ease themselves at a place where the householders or their sons have sown or will sow rice, beans, pulse, or barley. They should not ease themselves at a place where there are heaps of refuse, mud, etc. They should not shit in fireplaces or at a place where suicide is committed, or in gardens, parks, woods. temples, or wells. They should not shit on cross-roads or on town-gates or on pathways or at a place where charcoal is produced or the dead are burnt. They should not empty their bowls at sacred places near rivers, marshes or ponds. They should not ease themselves in fresh clay-pits, fresh pasture-grounds for cattle or in a field of vegetables. Monks and nuns should take their own chamber-pot and ease themselves in a secluded place where no people pass or see them, and leave the excrement on a heap of ashes. 1
OTHER MISCELLANEOUS ACTS
A monk is-holy through his innocence. He allows no trouble to influence his words, thoughts and acts. He should take no notice of seductive pleasures and endeavour to shake off delusion. Knowing the highest Law, he should perform his religious duties. He should be free from attachment and earnest in the performance of austerities.
Begging is a hard task. It is painful never to take anything but what is freely given. Some weak men, who are unable to preserve their chastity, will become disheartened. Some fools take a pious monk for spy, bind him and insult liim. Some low people, who lead a life of iniquity and who are subjcct to love and hatred, injure a monk.
There are some tender affections which monks cannot casily overcomc. A monk should renounce attachment, for cvery attachment is a cause of sin. A holy monk may find many inducements and seductions in this world, but he should not break down like weak bullocks carrying a heavy burden uphill. A monk should snap off thc tics that bind him to his louse; he should wander about for the welfare of his soul, A wisc and thoroughly restrained monk should bear all hardships 1. Acha, 11, 10.
