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RELIGION & CULTURE OF THE JAINS
parigraha-parimāņa. The first vow dernands that one must not intentionally injure the feelings or the life forces of any other living being, either by thought, word or deed, himself, through an agent, or even by approving of such an act committed by somebody else. Intention in this case implies ulterior or selfish motive, sheer pleasure, wantonness, and even avoidable negligence. The aspirant thus vows abstinence from intentional injury to or killing of life for food, sport, pleasure or some other selfish purpose. He can and should, however, use force, if necessary, in the defence of his country, society, religious institutions, family, life and property, which is protective or defensive violence (hiṁsā). His agricultural, industrial occupational and diverse living activities do also involve injury to life, but it should be limited to the minimum possible, through carefulness, cleanliness and due precaution. A lay aspirant, who has vowed to observe ahiṁsā aṇuvrata, therefore, absolutely abstains only from commiting intentional hiṁsā, and not the other types which are unavoidable, and sometimes necessary, in the lay state in which he or she is.
The second vow, satya aṇuvrata, demands that one must abstain from telling lies and taking recourse to falsehood in speech or actions, to using harsh, cruel, shocking or abusive language, to ridicule, backbiting and flattery, and even to such truth as may harm others or injure their feelings. The third vow, acaurya aņuvrata, is to abstain from thieving, stealing, robbing, looting, or misappropriating others' property, and includes abstinence from cheating and using dishonest or illegal means in acquiring any worldly thing. The fourth vow, śīla aṇuvrata, is to abstain from having sexual relations with anybody but one's own lawfully wedded spouse. And, the fifth, parigrahaparimāņa aņuvrata, requires the imposition of a limit on one's needs, acquisitions and possessions, and implies the use of the surplus for the common good.
