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RELIGIOUS CUSTOMS
255 cloth, one of which they wear round the loins and the other over the shoulders, a little strip to cover the mouth, a piece of cloth to sit on, and also a brush. The devout layman, wcaring only the two cloths, sits down on what is in fact his prayer carpet, and, after asking permission from his guru, begs forgiveness of any living thing he may have injured on his way from his house to the monastery. .
He is then in a position to perform Sāmāyika, the most Sāmāessential portion of which, Karemi bhante, consists in the yıka. repetition in Māgadhi of a vow which might be thus translated :
'I vow that I will not sin in regard to Dravya for the space of fortyeight minutes anywhere in the whole world In right earnest I vow not to sin in any of the six ways. O adorable one, I take this vow, and I will keep it in this manner: I promise to keep it in thought, word and deed myself, and not to cause others to break it in thought, word, or deed. Again, O adorable one, I thus free myself from all sinful actions; I condemn them in the presence of my spirit and preceptor, and I vow to keep my spirit free from such actions.'
The worshipper then praises the twenty-four Tirthankara Cauviof the present age in Māgadhi verse (Cauvīsanttho 1), santtho. which might be rendered :
I sing the praise of the twenty-four Tīrthankara and other Kevalī, who have shed the light of religion on this world, who formed communities and so became Tirthankara. I salute Rişabhadeva, Ajitană. tha [here follows the list of the twenty-four). I praise these and all others who have shaken off the dust of karma and have destroyed old age and death. May these twenty-four Tirthankara show mercy to me. May these Tirthankara, famed in this world, whose praises I have sung, whom I have worshipped in mind, and who are excellent in this world, grant me that religion in which meditation forms the chief part and which protects from all diseases.
Ye are brighter than the moon, more brilliant than the sun, more awe-inspiring than the ocean. Grant to me, O Siddha, to reach Siddha-hood.'
Next follows Vandanā, i. e, salutation and prayer for Vandaņā. forgiveness to the guru, if he be present, or in his absence to the north-east corner of the building, that being the direc
1 Or Caturviršatistava.
