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538
The Unknown Pilgrims
iii) The pătras: The bowls
In the same way as garments wear out, so bowls too need to be replaced.30 These pātras may be:
- of light wood or of earthenware, or gourds;
- the sādhvis may not accept pătras of metal, iron pewter, lead, brass, silver, gold, mother-of-pearl, ivory, horn, stone, leather; all these are costly and impure;31
- before accepting or requesting a pătra, which must not have been either bought or made for her, a sadhvi must examine it carefully to assure herself that it contains no living particles;
- she may request and accept a pătra that is not new, provided that it is clean;
- if the śrāvikå who is presenting the pătra wants to offer it containing food or drink, the sādhvi must decline it.32
c) Jana-samparka: Relationships with those around
These day-to-day relationships, which are simple and unaffected, possess a two-fold character: in the first place, they are of a spiritual sort, for, from her dikşă onwards, a sādhvi is nirgranthi, un-attached. She has renounced definitively the concerns, works, way of life and diversions of the majority of humanity. At the same time and on account of their being anagāri, the sādhvis must also speak of practical matters, address themselves to people, request from them hospitality, food and what is strictly necessary.
30 Cf. P 525.
31 Cf. AS II, 6, 1, 1-2. 32 Ibid., II, 6, 1, 4-12.
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