Prashamratiprakaran

Author(s): Umaswati, Umaswami, Yajneshwar S Shastri
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

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any type of stealing (Asteya). Non-stealing really means, that a monk should not acquire any object which is not necessary for his use. The monks should not accept anything without permission of the owner. Celibacy (Brahmacarya) consists in controlling sexual desires. A monk should dissociate himself from association of women. Aparigraha means non-attachment to one's own possession. Acquisition is the main cause of greed and attachment (Pr.178). Attachment is cause of bondage. Thus, monks should renounce all personal property. Monks can only possess those things which are necessary for performing religious duties and sustaining life. (Pr.138).
III. Samitis means cautious behaviour. Vigilance is considered as one of the important virtues, because negligence is the root of all sins. Monks should be careful while walking, speaking, taking food, keeping and receiving things and evacuating bowels etc. (Pr.116-7). These five Smitis are prescribed to avoid all sorts of unpleasantness to the living beings without any exception, and to keep the monks away from committing sins. IV. Gupti means control of psycho-physical activities of mind, speech and body,(Manogurti; vaggupti and Kayagupti) which are the root cause of the inflow of Karmic matter to the soul (Pr.241). V. Parīṣahajaya (Pr.114) is endurance of hardsnips which monks face on the path of liberation. Monks must endure physical as mental hardships. The hardships that monks should overcome ghly twentytwo in number.55 Victory over these hardships is part of austerity. The monks by facing these hardships, acquire a resolute will that no difficulty could bend them.
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VI. Dharmakathas or religious stories: Jainism, like any other religion, propagates certain ethical and religious doctrines through religious stories. These stories are didactic (Upadeśatmaka) in nature. The didactic tone of these stories illustrates the consequences of good and bad deeds. Every story conveys some lesson and is used to exhort the need of firm faith in religious principles. It is the duty of a monk to reflect on these stories and tell them to laymen to create interest and faith in religious duties. They are four in number (Pr.182-3). Akṣepani is the story which makes one to follow religious path. This kind of story inspires on to perform religious duties. Vikṣepani is a kind of story which reduces or annihilates sexual passion. Samvedani gives an idea about the painful nature of mundane life and generates intense desire to acquire correct knowledge of reality. Nirvedani is a kind of story which generates a spirit of non-attachment to all worldly things.
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In addition to these stories the monk should always avoid, talks about women, her beauty, form and so on (strikatha); about delicious