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Āryikās: The Digambara Sadhvis
667
iv) Pratyakhyāna
In the morning, at the conclusion of the ahāra, the one meal per day, each āryikā recites mentally the siddhabhakti and takes a promise not to take food or drink until the same hour the following day. She then goes to the acārya or to the ganini for pratikramana in regard solely to faults committed during the meal, recites the laghusiddhabhakti and the yogibhakti and renews her promise to take nothing till next day, followed by the vandana. She may also ask permission to undertake some additional form of austerity. 79
b) Svădhyāya-vidhi: The rite in regard to Scripture-study
After washing their hands and feet with pure water and sweeping the ground, the books and the little desk with the picchikā, the äryikās sit down in paryankāsana and recite the laghu-śrutabhakti, followed by kāyotsarga and vandana to the ganini. At the end of the svådhyaya they recite the laghu-śrutabhakti, followed by kāyotsarga.80
Svādhyāya consists of personal study, and pondering, but in the rule of life of the āryikās this study takes place simultaneously for all. The study of the texts of the doctrine and related works differs in accordance with the capacity of each. For contemporary āryikås there are no restrictions as regards Scriptures-study. 81 All depends upon the aptitude, level of knowledge and greater or lesser capacity of each. The gaņini guides the āryikās and gives them what explanations are necessary. 82
79 Cf. Jñānamati, 1976, p. 44.
80 Ibid., pp. 27; 49-53.
81 Ibid., pp. 50-51.
82 With their acute feeling for ritual purity, the Digambaras impose an even greater strictness upon the āryikās at the time of their monthly periods than do the Svetämbaras upon the sadhvis. Not only is an åryikå forbidden to touch any dharma-grantha, but she is even relegated to a room outside the temple precincts and takes no part in the performance of any of the rites, reciting them alone mentally. If she is able to fast, she does so and, if she is
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