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Jain Ethics
129
Asteya: Taking away any thing secretly or by application of force over which one does not have proprietary right is theft. Making theft committed by others for himself, possessing things of stealth, export-import beyond the limits fixed by the state, use of false measures and weights and adulteration are other forms of theft and householder is instructed to abstain himself from these acts. However, he is permitted to take away things like clay, water etc. which are under no body's possession though the monks are restrained to take anything not given to them (adattādāna se viramaņa).
Brahmacharya: Abstinence from sex and infatuation with opposite sex is brahmacharya. The householder should keep himself or herself satisfied with his or her wife or husband and treat all others as mothers, sisters, daughters or fathers, brothers or sons. Making others marry, intercourse with prostitute, unnatural sex, intensity of sexual passion, and talking of obscenity amount to violation of the vow of celibacy.
Aparigraha: The householder is permitted to have things essential for his livelihood, and he should fix the limit of his possessions. However, if his resources exceed his requirement he should spend them up in the works of public welfare.
The practice of these anuvratas is intended to cultivate a spiritual culture of self control, self denial and detachment. In order to keep the householder steadfast on the path of spiritual progress provision of gunavratas has been made. They are three in number, namely dig-vrata, desa-vrata and anartha-danda-vrata. In pursuance of dig-vrata the householder should fix the limit of distance upto which he will move in this or that direction. Fixingan ocean, river, mountain cr village as the limit of the area in which he has to move for a certain period of time is desa-vrata. Through the anarthadanadavrata the householder is abstained from contemplating and possessing things which are not of his
concern.
