The five Mahavratas

It is very strict and absolute observance of all five vows as Mahavrata mentioned earlier. They observe with full awareness through their actions, speech and thoughts following attitudes while doing routine processes^[1] :

I. Ahimsa mahavrata for Sramana:

They have to observe following attitudes:

a) manogupti bhāvanā: Try to maintain balanced state of mind with positivity.

b) eṣaṇāsamiti bhāvanā: Limited and proper usage of utensils, place, clothes and other similar items.

c) ādānasamiti bhāvanā: To take care of all germs, insects and others while moving, changing clothes and other routine activities.

d) iryāsamiti bhāvanā: Take care of all kinds of non-violence while walking or moving.

e) druṣṭānnapāna grahaṇa bhāvanā: Take care of all kinds of non-violence while taking food.

The Lord Mahavira says that each of jiva^[2] like Prithvikaya, Vayukaya, Tevukaya, Agnikaya and Apkaya jiva suffers the same way as we do by tortures, cuts with weapons but it cannot express like us. As we have gone through each of these births, we should accept the existence of these minute water bodied beings and other forms of bodied beings, else we deny our own existence.^[3] Though, water and fire was worshipped, almost none bothered about violence against them.

Only Lord Mahavira has mentioned all details of such violences. Acarya Shreelank^[4] says,

“Fire has attributes like light and heat, cannot survive without air and grows consuming food (oil and wood), gets fritters away when deprived of such food shows the evidence of it being alive.”

Jugupsa is to abandon violence of air bodied beings.

Bhagvatisutra (16/1/15) says,

“One who knows samyam, knows non-violence of fire bodies and vice-versa.”

This has same meaning of following sutra of Acaramgasutta.

je asatthassa kheyaṇṇe se dihalogasatthassa kheyaṇṇe || ^[5]

Almost all enjoyables through our senses are of plant origin. So, too much attachment to various flavours, colours, shapes and sounds (instruments) is violence and causes harms to our soul. Acaramgasutra gives two main causes of violence as stupor (pramāda) and desire for mundane pleasure (viṣayābhilāṣā). There are four types of stupor: intoxication, passions, sleep and opprobrium.

10 types of physical and 14 types of mental passions of karma that cause bondage of soul are described in Acaramgasutra. A true ascetic should have knowledge (parijñātakarma) about such violences.

According to Shreelank Vrtti of Acaramgasutra,^[6] sixteen categories of physical awareness (anubhava saṃjñā) are as under:

1. Eating;
2. Fear;
3. Sex;
4. Possession;
5. Pleasure;
6. Sorrow;
7. Fondness;
8. Doubt;
9. Anger;
10. Ego;
11. Illusion;
12. Greed;
13. Grief;
14. Mundane activities;
15. Duty;
16. Aggregate;

According to Acaramga Niyukti, five categories of mental awareness (jñāna saṃjñā) are already mentioned under the topic of Pramana in this chapter^[7], subject of “Samyak Jnana”.

The first pada of Acaramgasutra mentions in details all the characteristics of an ascetic. He should be devoted to spiritual practices^[8] (niyāga-pratipanna), straight forward and upright in conduct (ṛjukṛta), free of deceit (amāya) and following conduct related to vigour, knowledge, faith and austerity (viryācāra, jñānācāra, darśanācāra, tapācāra).

II. Satya mahavratabhavna for Shramana:

Acaramgasutra^[9] explains importance of being firm on truth, which is interpreted in three different ways from different angles:

a) Discipline which is beneficial for being is Truth

b) The tenets of Arihant in the form of Agama reveals the true form of the ultimate truth of anything

c) Resolution: to follow vows faultlessly, accept the truth Following attitudes one has to maintain,

1. hāsya-pratyakhyāna: Not to be untruthfull while making fun also.
2. lobha-pratyakhyāna: Not to to tell lie out of greed.
3. krodha-pratyakhyāna: Out of anger, not to speak lie, bitter or harsh.
4. bhaya-pratyakhyāna: For fear of death and to protect somebody, avoid.
5. ālocya-bhāṣaṇa: Not to speak bitter unknowingly or without thinking.

III. Asteya mahavrata:

Bhavana i.e. attitude for monks for this vow should comply with following:

a) ālocya-avagrahayācana: With full awareness, request the owner to have place

b) abhikṣaṇa-avagrahayācana: Don”t grab, just remind and request the owner

c) parimita-avagrahayācana: Demand only as per need and not more

d) sādharmika-avagrahayācana: Request the colleague monk also for stay with him

e) anujñāpita pāna-anna-aśangrahaṇa: Each time having food only with the permission of Guru/ elderly monk

IV. Brahmacarya mahavrata:

Almost all scriptures and Agama (Acaramgasutra 1/5/2/107 and Dasvaikaliksutra chapter 4) have strictly laid down disciplinary rules to follow this vow for monks or Sramanas.

To protect this vow, following attitudes are prescribed to have maximum control over senses:

a) strī—ṣaṇḍha-paśumadveśmāsanakuḍyāntaratyaga: The aspirant should keep himself away from places where person of opposite sex stays or where vulgar talks are heard.

b) sarāgastrīkathātyaga: To avoid talks which excite or provocate the attachments with opposite sex.

c) pūrvarativilāsasmaraṇatyaga: To get rid of past memories of sexual acts.

d) strīramyaṃgekṣaṇa-svāṃga-saṃskāraparivarjana: Avoid looking at attractive limbs of opposite sex and to exhibit self accordingly.

e) pranitātyaśanatyaga: To stop taking too tasty, spicy and excess food.

Indulgences are not capable of quenching the thirst for gratification. Carnality is dangerous. Jain monks have equanimity of alms collection.^[10]

V. Aparigraha mahavrata:

Jain ascetics beg for clothes, food and other necessary items without any attachment. A man obsessed with possessions fails to stay on true path even if he gets them. Be-cause of his stupidity, he finds wrong path and sticks to it, unable to cross the ocean of life to get liberated. Non-greed remedy as prescribed by Acaramgasutra^[11] is “Abandoning food intake acts as medicine for the fever and abandoning greed acts as medicine for craving.”

To protect this vow, following attitudes are prescribed to have maximum control over senses:

a) sparśanendriyaviṣayarāga-dveśavarjana: To get detached from attraction of touching beauties and aversion of unwanted touch

a) rasanendriyaviṣayarāga-dveśavarjana: To follow the same detachment towards attraction and aversion related to tastes

b) ghrāṇendriyaviṣayarāga-dveśavarjana: To follow the same detachment towards attraction and aversion related to smells

c) cakṣurindriyaviṣayarāga-dveśavarjana: To follow the same detachment towards attraction and aversion related to sights

d) śrotrendriyaviṣayarāga-dveśavarjana: To follow the same detachment towards attraction and aversion related to sense of hearing

In order to have proper implementation of all these vrattas Jain monks and nuns follow special rules of conduct (Samyakcaritra) such as five Samitis and three Guptis mentioned earlier but more strictly. It also includes lifetime practices of not consuming food or water after sunset or before sunrise, and wait for 48 minutes after sunrise before even drinking boiled water, which only is allowed to them. They make use of minimum water for the same purpose by never taking bath and avoiding usage of detergents or any washing equipment or accessories. Jain monks and nuns never touch a member of the opposite sex regardless of their age; they don”t meet them after sunset. They also do not touch money, jewelry or any electrical or electronic gadgets. They do not own or have control over any wealth, houses or movable or immovable property or organization.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Tattvarthadhigamabhasya (7/3, 33), Yogashastra (1/26-30)

[2]:

Amarmuni, Acaramgasutra, sutra-15, p. 26

[3]:

Ibid, sutra-23, p.34

[4]:

Ibid, p. 44

[5]:

Ibid, sutra- 33, p. 42

[6]:

Ibid, p.8

[7]:

matiśrutāvadhimanaḥ paryaya kevalāni jñānam | Tattvartha-sutra 1.9

[8]:

Amarmuni, Acharamgasutra, sutra, sutra-19, p. 32

[9]:

Ibid, sutra-118, p. 177

[10]:

Ibid, sutra-87, p.111

[11]:

Ibid, sutra-73, p.93