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A Study of Jain Monastic Life: 121
Ten rules of Monastic Department (Sāmācāri)
The Mulācāra explains sāmācāra as equanimity (Samatā), or right conduct (sammācāro), or unvarying and uniform conduct (samo ācāro), or the conduct common to the entire monastic order.5 Sāmācārī stands for the general conduct, behavior or department of the monastic Order. It has no fixed content. The ten rules are as follows.
1. Icchākāra: No compulsion is desirable in monastic department which should be absolutely a voluntary act. In brief, all monastic acts are absolutely voluntary and self impose.
2. Micchākāra: In case of lapse, a monk has to retrace and repent for the misconduct."
3. Tahākāra: On occasions of the sermons or any other instructions by the preceptor the disciples are to give their complete assent with humility.
4. Avassiyi: 'Leaving the abode for necessary work'.
5. Nisihiya: On the completion of that act, when he returns to his abode, he has to be aware that he has completed the duty. 6&7. Appucchana and Paḍipucchaṇā: Similarly a monk has to seek the permission of his superior for an act he has to perform for himself or for others. These formalities are called apṛcchana and pratipṛcchanā.
8. Chandanā: Chandaṇā, is concerned with the invitation of the Superior or the fellow monks to take what has been brought, as a monk should not keep anything secret.
9. Abbhuṭṭhāṇa: Rendering services to the organization in respect of food, medicine, robes etc. is called Abhutthāna. 10. Uvasampaya: The last type of department is called uvasampaya which means approaching a teacher in another gana (group) for acquiring special knowledge on a particular subject for a limited period.8
