Walk With Me

Author(s): Chandanaji Acharya, Vastupal Parikh
Publisher: Veerayatan

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Ch. 2: The Sraman Sangh - Brotherhood
contemplation and study to cultivate self-discipline and purify our soul. We possess nothing and are celibate. Mahavir bestowed upon us the responsibility to educate the public about the soul and its need to be liberated. For this we travel on foot from place to place and explain how people can work towards their liberation.
Laypersons who want to follow Arhat path, but not on the fulltime basis are also welcome in our sangh. The two lay groups are:
(3) Lay men are called shravaks, and (4) Lay women are shravikas.
The primary responsibility of laypersons is to their family and community. They also have additional responsibility to look after our food and shelter when we are in their town.
Our guru is Mahavir, whom we respect as a Tirthankar (an enlightened one who having achieved liberation is showing us the path to liberation). We address him as Tirthankar Mahavir or Bhagwan Mahavir. This is the highest honor we could bestow on our beloved Guru.
Our ordaining process is very simple. Bhagwan Mahavir asks the would-be sadhus and sadhvis (monks or nuns) to take vows to live a simple and pure sin-free life; avoid impure, sinful thoughts and actions; and be dedicated to liberation. Everyone gladly pledges: Karemi Bhante Samaeeyam Savajjam Jogam Pachhakami.
(Bhagwan, I resolve to live in harmony with my soul by renouncing all sinful activities.)
Our vows may appear to be simple, but are difficult to live by. A determined truth-seeker (sadhak) may soon learn to avoid impure and sinful actions and thoughts, but to remain uninfluenced by the world is difficult. Spiritual progress requires that one must forget the past, avoid
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Jain Education Intemational