Niyamsara

Author(s): Kundkundacharya, Uggar Sain
Publisher: ZZZ Unknown

Page 12

RIGHT CONDUCT. A right believer, who has fully realised the true and real nature of his own soul, and is bent upon getting rid of the karmic filth which is in bondage with his soul, tries to follow Right Con duct. His main object in doing so, is to be free from attachment and aversion, and from all impure thought-activities and to attain the condition of equanimity.
Practical right conduct consists in observing the following five VOWS:(a) Ahimsa
refraining from doing injury. (6) Satya ... refraining from falsehood. (c) Asteya ... refraining from theft. (d) Brahmacharya ... Chastity, purity.
(e) Aparigraha ... Non-attachment.
This practical right conduct can be observed either partially or fully. Laymen observe it partially, while those who observe it fully are saints. Partial observance is merely a stepping stone to the conduct of a saint, without following which it is not possible to advance spiritually and to ultimately liberate the soul from karmic bondage.
A layman is required to follow the seven supplementary vows also, as they are helpful in the proper observance of the first five.
Out of these seven, the following three are called Gunavratas (multiplicative vows) because they raise the value of the five vows multifold.
Dig-Vrata, a life-long vow to limit worldly activities to fixed points in all the 10 directions, North, South, East, West, North-east, North-west, South-east, South-west, above and below.
Desha-Vrata, a vow to limit wordly activity for a fixed period “only."
Anartha-Danda Vrata. Taking a vow not to commit purposcless sin. It is of five kinds :
(a) Apa-Dhyana, thinking ill of others. (6) Papodesha, Preaching evil of others. (c) Pramada-charya. Inconsiderate conduct, such as uselessly
breaking the boughs of trees. (d) Himsa-dan, preparing or supplying instruments of attack. (e) Dushruti, Reading or listening to improper literature.