Book Title: Tattvartha Sutra Nikash
Author(s): Rakesh Jain, Nihalchand Jain
Publisher: Sakal Digambar Jain Sangh Satna

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Page 176
________________ 120/reg-Fr 4. The seventh chapter of Tattvartha Sutra deals with THE FIVE VOws and prescribes the ethical and moral guidelines for householder. It is an idea land outstanding code of conduct for every citizen. The five main vows are 'Ahimsa' 'Satya' 'Asteya' 'Brahmacharya' and Alparigraha. The first vow Ahimsa or Non-violence ensures minimization of violence and greatest Kindness to all living creature without any intention to injure them. The second vow Satya ensures truthfullness. The third vow Asteya restrains from theft. The fourth vow Bhahmacharya regulates sexual desires and practices and the fifth vow Aparihraha restrains accumulation of excessive wealth and possessions. The Non-violence underlies in each and every rule of jain Ethies. It perneutes and pervades into drinking and food. habirs, professions, trade, industries and social behavior of jains. 5. These five vows prescibe the individual. Familial and social behavior for every person constitute jain ethical code and accord religious sanvtions to most important public behavior and moral conduct. This ethical code covers the same ground as the 511 sections and 23 chapters of the Indian penal code whoch enumerates almost all offences known to our modern civilization. Therefore this ethical code is most important for creation of national and social values. 6 This ethical code is an important source of constitutional, criminal and civil law of the land. The object of the penal law is the prevention of offences by the example of punishment. The jain scholars believe that the object of jam Ethical code is wide and more sacrosanct because the due observance of jain Ethical code would save a person from pffences against property, state and public justice and offences relating to human body, coin and stamps and weights and measures and offences affecting the pubkic health, safety, convenience, decency and morality. 7. The 29th sutra of Tattvarth sutra lays down that every householder should prescribe imits to immovable and movabla properties owned by him. He should never transgress such limits. If a parson exceeds such limits. It amounts to breach of vow. This original sutra which is in Sanskrit languahe is being quoted below: क्षेत्रवास्तु हिरण्यसुवर्णधनधान्यदासीदासकुप्यप्रमाणातिक्रमाः ॥ 'Kshetra' consists of fields in which various types of crops are grown. 'Vastu' is the habitation or place of residence. 'Hiranya' means silver. 'Suvaru' means gold. 'Dhanya' denotes food grains such as wheat and rice. 'Dasi-Dasa' means male and female servants. 'Kupya' includes clothes and utensils. The householder resolves that he will fix the limits of possession of the said goods and will not exceed such limits. If he exceeds such limits, his action will constitute the transgression of such vow of limiting his possessions. 8. This Sutra propounds that we should nor exceed the limits set by us with regard to cultivable land and house, wealth such as gold and silver, cattle and food grains,

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