Prashamratiprakaran

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

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foods (bhaktavikatha); about adventures of a thief (corakatha) and about different countries (Janapadakatha) which generate interest about worldly life and pleasure and hence indirectly cause attachment (Pr.183). VII. Sümāyika, Chedopasthāna, Pariharaviệudhi, Sakşmasamparāya and Yathākhyāta are five types of Căritras (conduct) and they are special rules which should be followed by the monks (Pr.228). Sāmāyika means equanimity and refraining from sin and developing friendliness towards all living beings. The monk should have equanimity of mind and avoid all sinful activities. Chedopasthāna is observance of penalties for faults committed through negligence or inadvertance. If a monk commits a mistake in his religious duties, he should observe penalties, confess it in front of a teacher and again engage himself in the pursuit of righteousness. Chedopasthana really means cutting down the life span as a monk who commits a mistake. Parihāraviguddhi is refraining from all kinds of iniury-physical, mental and vocal. This rule is prescribed to purify the individual soul. Austerity is prescribed for one who is having this căritra. Sukşmasamparāya is the control of the passions, especially greed and it is to be reduced to a bare unrecognizable trait and all other passions are to be under the control of a monk. In this stage the monk possesses only very minute passions. Yathākhatyacaritra implies the characteristics of those monks who have annihilated all of their passions, lusts and desires. When all passions are destroyed, a monk, reaches the ideal state, which is known as Kevali. This ideal state of a monk is called Yathakhyātacāritra. These five kinds of caritra are considered as the chief means of liberation(Pr.229). VIII. Dagavidhadharma or ten kinds of religious virtues are the cardinal virtues that are to be cultivated by a monk, who is an aspirant for achieving the highest goal of life. These virtues are the basis of religion and are essential for a monk. Practice of these virtues roots out attachment, aversion deceit and greed within a short period and leads to the final deliverance of a monk (Pr.179). Umāsvāti gives a prominent place to these te kinds of virtues and dedicates thicteen verses to elaborate them(Pr. 167–79). The ten kinds of virtues which are to be cultivated by a monk are: Supreme forgiveness (kşamā), Modesty (mārdava), Straightforwardness (arjava), Purity (sauca), Self-control (samyama), Renunciation (tyāga), Truthfulness (Satya), Austerity (tapas), Chastity or Celibacy (brahmacarya) and Non-acquisition (äkiñcanya (Pr. 167).
Compassion towards all beings is called supreme forgiveness. It is the root cause of religion (Pr. 168). Modeaty is the basis of humility. It is the main source of all good virtues. It controls and reduces egoistic tendencies of a monk (Pr. 169). Straightforwardness consists in eschewing crookedness in thoughts, words and deeds and never concealing one's own faults. It is the main cause of self-purity which is very much