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Q. 23:- With due respect, the dogmatic approach to obtain water from
“wiping of floors” should be discouraged in our society, especially from hygienic point of view. Such practices induce and attract attention of non-Jainas to think and label our society as dirty, unhygienic and repugnant. As per science also, there is hardly any room to remotely
consider such water fit for use by our Saints! A 23:- Here, the basic idea is to conserve and re-use water. If one can
'recycle' or 'reuse' a natural resource, it should be encouraged and not disrespected. Normally, people store this used water (if no chemicals were used in wiping), then decant it, allowing it to settle for sometime. Then filter it. The filtered water may be used for flushing lavatories or even for washing of dirtier wiping-clothes etc. It is all about applying common sense in practice to achieve the objective of 'conservation' of natural resource. It is here, that the 'relative' grade of purity of water
is matched with the purpose of usage. Here, one is reminded of the famous story of Akbar and Birbal. Birbal could make Akbar drink with pleasure one glass of that water, which was brought from the dirtiest source, and hated earlier by Akbar himself. However, it was offered only after subjecting it to proper purification and flavoring treatment. 'Hate' was thus converted into liking by matching the purity with the purpose of use. Actually hate is mostly an outcome of our preconceived ideas or notion.
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