Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

Author(s): J C Sikdar
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 447

STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SUTRA
[Ch. VII (sattasikkhavaiyam). They are as follows: (1) Renouncement of all gross ill-usuage of living beings in two forms and in three ways (i.e. not to do oneself nor cause to be done by others either in thought or in word or in deed), (2) renouncement of all grossly lying speech in two forms and three ways like the previous one, (3) renouncement of all gross taking of things not given, (4) renouncement of every other kind of sexual intercourse excepting with one's own wife, and (5) limitation of possession of one's wealth by renouncing all other possessions.
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Some relaxations have been made for the householders in regard to the observance of the religious vows and rules. Thus it is explained that the act of killing a mobile being by some Sramanopāsaka in the past has been renounced, but his act of killing the earth-bodied being is partially given up. For instance, if he, while digging the earth kills any mobile being, he does not violate (or transgress) the vow of non-killing, because he is surely not intent upon its killing. It is an accidental and unintentional act of killing beings. Thus in the cases of his accidental and unintentional injury to the life of plant-bodied beings also, while ploughing the land (i.e. digging the earth), he does not transgress the vow of non-killing, as he was not intent upon its killing.1
The seven disciplinary vows consist of three Gunavratas and four proper Sikṣāvratas as given below:
The three Gunavartas are stated to be Digvrata (vow of the quarters), Anarthadamda (vow of abstention from unprofitable employment) and Bhogopabhogaparimāna (vow of limitation of the measure of enjoyment), while the four proper Sikṣaviratas are Sāmāyikavrata (vow of inward peace), Pausadhavrata (vow of fasting, abstinence from bodily attentions, sexual intercourse and daily work), Atithisamvibhaga (vow of right distribution of alms and worshipping the guests) and Sallekhana (vow of a
1 BhS, 7, 1, 263.