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THE CONCEPTS OF PARIŞAHA AND
TAPA IN JAINISM
The householder and the saint are the two wheels on which the cart of Jaina ethical discipline moves on quite smoothly. It is to the credit of Jaina Acāryas that they have always kept in mind these two orders while prescribing any discipline to be observed. They never confounded the obligations of the one with the other. In consequence, Jainism could develop the Acāra of the householder with as much clarity and precison as it developed the Ācāra of the Muni. We shall, first, dwell upon the basic distinctions of these two disciplines before dealing with the concepts of Parişaha and Tapa in Jainism, inasmuch as the exposition of the distinctions will make us clear why the conquest of Parişaha and practice of Tapa have direct reference to the life of the saint or the Muni.
First, the upshot of the householder's discipline is to alleviate Himsā to a partial extent; but the aim of the ascetic discipline is to adhere and conform to the standard of negating Himsā to the last degree. In other words, the partial character of the householder's vows is disrupted by the potent life of the Muni, hence the Muni observes complete vows (Mahāvratas) in contrast to the householder's observance of partial vows (Aņuvratas).
Secondly, the life of complete renunciation adopted by the saint makes possible the extirpation of inauspicious Bhāvas, which remains unrealized in the householder's life
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