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Contribution of Śramaṇa Tradition to Indian Culture : 165
That people are all in all. Even the government is in the hands of public. In the same way according to the Śramanic systems human life is self-controlled.
Man is the controller, man is the controlled.
Man is the director, man is the directed.
Man's deeds make his life pleasant, man's deeds make his life painful.
In order to control the human life Jainism has propounded five great vows (Pañca-mahāvratas) for ascetics and five minor scale vows (Pañca-anuvaratas) for the house holders.
Five Great Vows
1. Abstention from Violence (Prāṇātipātaviramaṇa) - The word Prāṇātipāta literally means to destroy (atipāta) life-forces (prana) of living beings. In short it is refraining from violence. Himsā refers to any action of giving pain to any living being by mind, body and speech. According to Acaranga:1
"All animals (prāṇī), all elements (bhūta) all beings (jīva) and all existents (sattā) should neither be killed, nor be ordered to be killed, nor be oppressed, nor be tortured, nor be disturbed with a view to killing. The religion (dharma) in the form of non-violence is pure."
Non-violence is the first and foremost among all vratas. So other vratas are done for the maintenance of non-violence.
2. Abstention from false speech (Mṛṣāvādaviramaṇa) The abstention from untruth which is spoken in order to cheat and to harm other persons.
3. Abstention from stealing (Adattādāna-viramaņa) The stealing is to take something which is not given by its master. It causes harm to the real owner.
4. Abstention from Sexuality (Maithuna viramaņa) The sexual intercourse is held due to the sex passions. The sexual activity crates two types of demerits in human life.
a) The peace of normal life is disturbed being provoked sexual desire again and again.
