________________
The śramaņi: The Worker
519
importance, for they contribute to saṁvara and to nisjară; hence the obligation to practise pratyakhyāna as a form of tapas. However, no sādhvi who is fervent and well-instructed in the doctrine confines herself to what is obligatory; rather, she chooses voluntarily, for periods of longer or shorter time and of more frequency or less, to observe certain fasts or abstinences, with the permission of the guruņi, or in the case of a longer and more comprehensive fast, of the ăcărya. 166
iii) The prāyaścittas in the Brhatkalpasūtra
and the Vyavahāra-sutra
They are four in number: parihāra; cheda; anavasthāpya;pārāñcika.
1. Parihāra is the relegation or isolation of an ascetic within the community for a pre-determined period. This measure aims at giving the culprit, cut off from his group, an opportunity for salutary reflection, repentance and restoration. It will also make an impression on the other members, stimulate their zeal, encourage them to guard against all forms of carelessness and remind them that their life is subject to a certain type of discipline. 167 This parihåra can last one four or six months. 168 Generally it is said to be either anudghātika or udghātika, which commentators later on termed guru (heavy) or laghu (light). Laghu refers to an alleviation of the penalty, that is to say, that its duration may be shortened by a certain number of days and also that the number of fasts to be observed may be reduced by decision of the ācārya. Guru implies that the penalty must be paid without remission, thus for the whole period prescribed. Serious offences, such as infringements of the vow of brahmacarya or the taking of food at night must be expiated by a guru-prāyaścitta.169 The isolation of the
166 Cf. P 597 ff.; 609 ff. the examples of Sádhvis Candrayaśā and Ratnavati.
167 Sths 428 defines parihara as: viśuddhi-samyama.
168 Cf. Deo, 1960, p. 44.
169 Cf. Brks IV, 1; Sths 201; VS VI, 16-17.
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