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Physical Fitness
Prologue
Jain ascetics do not take a bath and Agam, sacred ancient law book of Jains, advised mendicants not to shine their teeth with brush or any powder etc. is a typical ascetic virtue. The long history of lore accumulated by trials and errors that had been passed down to monks, kept them healthy. This sounds strange. Apparently, it gives a false picture of attitude to cleanliness of the wandering ascetics, who practice entire and uniform abstinence by controlled eating and fasting. Some remain stark naked and live upon one meal a day. Others wear very limited unstitched porous white cotton clothes, which harden them and make their body more resistant to weather changes - exaggerated dread of cold and heat. They eat and drink only after sunrise and before sunset by begging. They do not eat walking. They accept no invitation to a meal. They relish dry bread equally as most exquisite dish. They sleep on hard floor. They walk barefoot. Most of them wear a cloth over their mouth to avoid accidental injury to insect life, and for the same reason a soft broom is used to sweep the path in front of one's feet. They do not tread on greenery or grass. They keep away from violent passions like melancholy, hatred, which appear to have the greatest influence on mind and body. They accord high place to non-violent conduct, truth, non
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