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A Treatise on Jainism the Soul in its essence is devoid of any distinction of stages.
While a saint remains in the 6th and the 7th stages and improves his qualifications, so that he has the capacity of controlling the whole order of saints and supervises their general conduct, he is said to be Head of the order of saints or an Acharya, and as such he follows and practises the five kinds of conduct. They are as follows : (a) Darshanachara, Conduct of right-belief.
Performance of all those duties which
keep right-belief firm. (b) Jnanachara, Conduct of knowledge.
Minute and detailed study of the scriptures, with the view of increasing right
knowledge. (c) Charitrachara, Conduct of observing
saintly character. Thirteen kinds of rules of conduct are to be observed as under: Five Vows : (1) Vow of non-injury, (2) Vow of the truth, (3) Vow of non-stealing, (4) Vow of chastity, and (5) Vow of possessionlessness. The saints have to observe these rules fully, without any blemish or transgression.
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