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Jain ethical code prescribes two dharmas or rules of conduct. One for those who wish to become ascetic and another for the śrāvaka (householders). Five fundamental vows are prescribed for both votaries. These vows are observed by śrāvakas (householders) partially and are termed as anuvratas (small vows). Ascetics observe these fives vows more strictly and therefore observe complete abstinence. These five vows are:-
Contents
- Maha vratas Major vows
- Ahis
- Satya
- Asteya
- Brahmacharya
- Aparigraha
- Anuvratas Minor vows
- Gua vratas
- ik vratas
- Sallekhan
- Transgressions
- References
According to Jain text, Puruşārthasiddhyupāya:
All these subdivisions (injury, falsehood, stealing, unchastity, and attachment) are hiṃsā as indulgence in these sullies the pure nature of the soul. Falsehood etc. have been mentioned separately only to make the disciple understand through illustrations.
Apart from five main vows, a householder is expected to observe seven supplementary vows (śeelas) and last sallekhanā vow.
Maha vratas (Major vows)
Mahavrata (lit. major vows) are the five fundamental observed by the Jain ascetics. According to Acharya Samantabhadra’s Ratnakaraņdaka śrāvakācāra:
Abstaining from the commitment of five kinds of sins (injury, falsehood, stealing, unchastity, and attachment) by way of doing these by oneself, causing these to be done, and approval when done by others, through the three kinds of activity (of body, speech, and thought), constitutes the great vows (mahāvrata) of celebrated ascetics.
Ahiṃsā
Ahimsa (non-injury) is formalised into Jain doctrine as the first and foremost vow. According to the Jain text, Tattvarthsutra: "The severance of vitalities out of passion is injury."
Satya
Not to lie or speak what is not commendable. The underlying cause of falsehood is passion and therefore, it is said to cause hiṃsā (injury). According to the Jain text, Sarvārthasiddhi: "that which causes pain and suffering to the living is not commendable, whether it refers to actual facts or not."
Asteya
According to the Jain text, Puruṣārthasiddhyupāya:
Driven by passions, taking anything that has not been given be termed as theft and since theft causes injury, it is hiṃsā
According to Tattvarthasutra, five observances that strengthen this vow are:
Brahmacharya
The fourth great vow of asceticism is concerned with abrahma (which is indulgence in sexual intercourse). Brahmacharya refers to the self-control in respect of sex-function. It means avoiding all the kinds of natural and unnatural sex-gratification.
Aparigraha
According to Tattvarthsutra, "Infatuation is attachment to possessions". Jain texts mentions that "attachment to possessions (parigraha) is of two kinds: attachment to internal possessions (ābhyantara parigraha), and attachment to external possessions (bāhya parigraha). The fourteen internal possessions are:
External possessions are divided into two subclasses, the non-living, and the living. According to Jain texts, both internal and external possessions are proved to be hiṃsā (injury).
Anuvratas (Minor vows)
Apart from five fundamental vows seven supplementary vows are prescribed for a śrāvaka. These include three guņa vratas (Merit vows) and four śikşā vratas (Disciplinary vows). The vow of sallekhanâ is observed by the votary at the end of his life. It is prescribed both for the ascetics and householders. According to the Jain text, Puruşārthasiddhyupāya:
The man who incessantly observes all the supplementary vows and sallekhanâ (together, these are called śeelas) for the sake of safeguarding his vows (vratas), gets fervently garlanded (a gesture to indicate her choice for a husband) by the maiden called 'liberation'.
Guņa vratas
- Digvrata- restriction on movement with regard to directions.
- Bhogopabhogaparimana- vow of limiting consumable and non-consumable things
- Anartha-dandaviramana- refraining from harmful occupations and activities (purposeless sins).
Śikşā vratas
- Samayika- vow to meditate and concentrate periodically.
- Desavrata- limiting movement to certain places for a fixed period of time.
- Prosadhopavâsa- Fasting at regular intervals.
- Atihti samvibhag- Vow of offering food to the ascetic and needy people.
Sallekhanā
An ascetic or householder who has observed all the prescribed vows to shed the karmas, takes the vow of sallekhanā at the end of his life. According to the Jain text, Purushartha Siddhyupaya, "sallekhana enable a householder to carry with him his wealth of piety".
Transgressions
There are five, five transgressions respectively for the vows and the supplementary vows.