Book Title: Path of Arhat
Author(s): T U Mehta
Publisher: Sohanlal Smarak Parshwanath Shodhpitha Varanasi

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Page 202
________________ Modus Operandi [ 177 (c) Giving weapons which would result in violence ( Himsopakāri Dana ). (d) Engaging oneself in useless and morally degrading activities such as gambling, reading sex-literature, seeing lowtaste dramas and indulging in talks which are morally degrading. (C) Four educative vows - These are four in number. These vows are meant to give periodic education in right conduct and to keep perpetual vigilance over one's activities. They are of four types : (i) Samayika - This is the most important daily activity to discipline mind and body, to review and reassess day's activity and to offer prayerful respect to the souls who have achieved liberation as well as to those who are on the path to liberation. Both in the morning, before daily activities are undertaken, and in the evening, before going to bed, one has to sit in meditation with the spirit of forbearance, friendliness and fraternity for all, irrespective of their cast, creed or complexion. One practices equanimity of mind and tries to shed all different types of Kaşã yas such as anger, pride, deceit and greed. Virtues of great masters who have achieved liberation are extolled and prayers are offered for developing one's capacity to absorb these virtues in actual life. This vow of Samayika is so important that Bimbisára, the king of Magadha, who was an ardent follower of lord Mahavira, was told by the Lord that if a particular house-holder could give to him only a fraction of the fruit of his daily practice of equanimity (Samayika ), his path of liberation would become easiest. The King, like most of the persons possessed of power and riches, thought that it would be easy for him to manage that particular house-holder who was an ordinary lay man, living in poverty. The king offered money and other things to purchase a small fraction of the merits achieved by him from Samayika. The house-holder simply smiled at the ignorance of king's arrogance and would have appropriately 12 Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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