Book Title: Tattvartha Sutra
Author(s): Vijay K Jain
Publisher: Vikalp Printers

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Page 394
________________ Tattvärthasūtra - uncomfortable couch - sayya, reproach – ākrośa, injury – vadha, solicitation - yācanā, lack of gain – alābha, disease-roga, pain inflicted by blades of grass - tṛṇasparsa, dirt - mala, absence of reverence and honour - satkarapuraskāra, (conceit of) learning - prajñā, despair or uneasiness arising from ignorance - ajñāna, and lack of faith - adarśana, are the twenty-two afflications (parīṣaha). Hunger, etc., are the twenty-two kinds of afflictions or hardships. These have to be endured by the ascetic striving after liberation. The saint who fails to obtain pure food or the required quantity of food, and whose torment of hunger is not dispelled, does not seek food in improper places and at improper times. He does not tolerate neglect of his essential duties even to a small extent and is ever enthusiastic in study and meditation. He has practised, on his own as well as due to circumstances, fasting and eating less than his fill on several occasions. He takes only tasteless food. His throat is dry like the redhot vessel on which a few drops of water have been poured. Even when the ascetic is extremely hungry, he feels that not obtaining the gift of food is more beneficial than obtaining it. The ascetic thus conquers the torment of hunger-kṣudhāpariṣahajaya. The ascetic has given up bathing, immersing himself in water and sprinkling his body with water. Like the bird, he has no fixed resting place and abode. He may at times be tormented by parching thirst, owing to various reasons such as unsuitable food (saltish, oily or astringent food), heat of the summer, bilious fever, fasting, and so on. Even then he does not seek remedy, but extinguishes this flame of the fire of thirst by the cool and fragrant water of his meditation kept in the fresh, earthenware pot of fortitude. Such patient endurance of thirst-trṣāpariṣahajaya - is to be extolled. Without garments on his body, the ascetic lives, like the bird, in uncertain places such as on rocks and underneath trees. And when he 362 ......

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