Book Title: Studies in Jainism
Author(s): Ramkrishna Mission Institute of Culture Culcutta
Publisher: Ramkrishna Mission Institute of Culture Culcutta
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REFLECTIONS ON AŅUVRATA
101 It is for eschewing the hate of suicide, on one hand and avoiding being dubbed as an apostate, on the other, that one of our conteinporary Jaina Rşis2 has modified, rather moderated, the doctrine of vows and named it The Doctrine of Small Vows-the Aņuvrata. A movement has already been launched for spreading the doctrine.
The point is that changed milieu and needs demand new emphasis on old values and ideas, as well as reorientation of them. For life never remains static. Necessarily, no living religion has ever been a stagnant pool, for it is essentially the outpouring of the heart's spring in response to the new demands which new life entails. For example, taking a dip in the Ganga may be an article of liturgy enjoined by the ancients, but today Ganga is the most polluted of all rivers' - most sacred though, and thus to take a dip in it approximates to doing it practically in sewage. The dip then should at best be symbolized in sprinkling a few drops of it on the head and body, thus finishing the act of ablution.
Likewise, 'respect for all life' may not well demand avoidance of food-taking after dusk, for in these days of florescent or halozen light nights are practically converted into days, making even the small particles visible. For the purpose, again, straining of drinking water is not necessary, because filteration of drinking water has become one of the hygenic prescriptions. That too is not fully relied uponmechanical process is used to make bacteria-free potable water. How can then the big vows, prescribed by the ancient Jaina Rşis, be scrupulously observed?
The fact is that originally Jainism was a śramaņikreligion the way of life for the world-renouncers. Later it was extended to the householding sector. The householders, by compulsion, can never be as strict in the observance of vows as the Sramaņa. The difference in their lifestyles makes for variation in the vows to be adopted and observed.
2. A Rşi is a qualified teacher.
