________________
500
The Unknown Pilgrims
- walk with a measured, controlled step; keep the eyes fixed on the ground in order to avoid any roughnesses or muddy patches on the path; avoid striking anything with the foot or walking on living
plants; 91
- shun streets and districts of ill repute;92 avoid passing too close to anything that might agitate or stir the passions: a dog, a cow suckling her calf, a bull, a horse, an elephant, children at play, places where quarrels are rife;93
- attend carefully to maintaining discretion, glance neither to right or left when passing near houses; 94
- if they have prior knowledge of the local population, they must avoid presenting themselves at the door of houses where they would tend to evoke malevolence;95
- on arrival on the threshold of a house, they must go straight to the kitchen, not displease the inhabitants by making a tour of the whole dwelling for no good reasom, nor traverse the rooms; have good sense, good manners, respect the local customs, act with discretion; 96
91 Ibid., 1, 3-7.
92 Ibid., 1, 9-11, where the munis are cautioned against districts harbouring prostitutes; even if the danger is less for sādhvis, they too must abstain from passing through these areas.
93 Ibid., 1, 12.
94 Ibid., 1, 15.
95 Ibid., 1, 17.
96 Ibid., 1, 24-26.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
