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Śramaṇa, Vol 59, No. 1/January-March 2008
(iii) Bandhanena-dhana-dhānya-pramāṇatikrama (Exceeding the limits set for grain and other foodstuff by packaging together)
:
(iv) Kāraṇena-dvipada-catuṣpada-pramāṇātikrama (Exceeding the limits set for bipeds and quadrupeds by natural reproduction).
Guna-vratas (Multiplicative Vows)
In addition to five main vratas, a householder is enjoined upon to practice three Guṇavratas, i.e., the multiplicative vows, which increase the value of the main vows. It aims to limit the area of a person's activities and the number of beings and object with which he comes into contact. The Jainācāryas have compared householder with a heated iron ball, burning everything it touches. Hence it is important to restrict the sphere of his activities. These three Guṇavratas are:
1. Digvrata (Vow of limiting the Area of one's Unvirtuous Activities)
In this vow the vower takes a life-long vow to limit one's worldly activity within a restricted direction and area. There are ten directions- the four well known- east, west, north and south; the four intermediary directions, viz. īśāna, āgneya, naiṛtya and vāyavya, the upward direction over one's head and downward direction under one's feet. This is the vow to limit the distance in all the ten direction beyond which the vower will undertake unvirtuous activities. The purpose of this vow is to limit the area of different activities. The vower limits the area beyond which he will not go for trade and business, marry his daughter, marry his son and he will use the things produced in that much area only. This vow is to check the spread of desire, to save oneself from unvirtuous activities. By observing this vow one can lessened his desire, get peace and tranquility and make all-round self-development. The nomenclature of the aticāras of digvrata is:
(i)
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Ūṛdhva-dik-pramāṇātikrama (Going beyond the limits in upward direction)-Under this aticăra one is
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