Tattvartha Sutra (with commentary)
by Vijay K. Jain | 2018 | 130,587 words | ISBN-10: 8193272625 | ISBN-13: 9788193272626
This page describes definition of abrahma (unchastity) which is verse 7.16 of the English translation of the Tattvartha Sutra which represents the essentials of Jainism and Jain dharma and deals with the basics on Karma, Cosmology, Ethics, Celestial beings and Liberation. The Tattvarthasutra is authorative among both Digambara and Shvetambara. This is verse 16 of the chapter The Five Vows and includes an extensive commentary.
Verse 7.16 - Definition of abrahma (unchastity)
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Tattvartha sūtra 7.16:
मैथुनमब्रह्म ॥ ७.१६ ॥
maithunamabrahma || 7.16 ||
Hindi Anvayarth:
अन्वयार्थ: [मैथुनमब्रह्म] जो मैथुन है सो अब्रह्म अर्थात् कुशील है।
Anvayartha: [maithunamabrahma] jo maithuna hai so abrahma arthat kushila hai |
Explanation in English from Ācārya Pūjyapāda’s Sarvārthasiddhi:
The fourth vow of unchastity (abrahma) is defined now.
The desire of the man and the woman to touch and embrace each other owing to the rise of the conduct-deluding (cāritramohanīya) karmas is called ‘mithuna’ and the resulting activity is called ‘maithuna’. Not all activities of the man and the woman together are ‘maithuna’; only the activities prompted by sexual desire are ‘maithuna’. Reference in the texts to the desire of a mare and a stallion indicate the same thing. Moreover ‘out of passion’ is supplied. By that only the action of a couple leading to sexual pleasure is included and not all activities. That which leads to enhancement of virtues like non-injury (ahiṃsā) is chastity (brahma). The opposite of this is unchastity (abrahma). What is it? It is copulation. Copulation promotes injury (hiṃsā), etc. He who indulges in copulation causes injury to immobile and mobile beings. He utters falsehood, takes away things not given, and accumulates possessions, both living (cetana) and non-living (acetana).