________________
562
The Unknown Pilgrims
and carelessness in regards to food, or again to a lack of control over the passions.2
Ascetic discipline demands that one should not pay too much attention to one's maladies; however, it is stipulated that one must treat the sufferers kindly, put oneself at their service, procure for them such food as is suitable.? Massage and the use of various ointments, balms, liniments, powders and medicinal herbs are permitted to the sick. 4
Generally, the concern is to preserve a proper balance between ahimsă and käyotsarga; on the one hand, one must avoid for oneself and for others anything that is violent or causes suffering, and neglect an illness or a wound may be a form of hiṁsā; on the other hand, is it not necessary to proceed towards kāyotsarga, the abandonment of the body? At this point the wisdom and spirit of discemment and long experience of the ācārya or guruņi or the senior sādhvis have a decisive importance. No sādhvi may take an initiative alone, but she may certainly express, with daughterly respect, her feelings in the matter and the guruni, with maternal care, having regard both to the physical strength of her disciple and to the question of the purification of the atman, must decide over the advisability or not of following some treatment or consulting a doctor. There are no strict rules, common to all; all depends on the cases in question."
Reading the biographies of sădhvis, one notices that the attitude regarding the care of the sick was different at the beginning of this century from what it is today. In this, as in many other matters, the
2 Cf. Sths 667.
3 Vaiyávrtya: service or nursing-care for those who are undergoing severe penances and the suffering. The first-named may become very enfeebled and the second are handicapped by their illness; cf. SkrS I,3,3, 20.
4 Cf. Brks V, 48-49.
5 A sadhvi may, in the case of a serious or chronic illness, such as prevents her being faithful to her vows, request permission to end her life by samlekhanā; cf. P 566 ff.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
