THE SAINTLY CONDUCT

1-5) The first five vows of the house holder, are now characterised by absolute severity. He will sever all is family relations and give up all sorts of worldly pursuits to keep himself entirely engaged in godly pursuits. He will desist to utter any unwholesome or unpleasant word. He will renounce all worldly things, termed as mine or thine, except a little goard of water meant not for quenching thirst but for cleaning his person after the call of nature and a soft feather brush gently to remove aside all sorts of tiny insects which may be apprehended to be injured by his sitting or lying down.

6-10) Five kinds of vigilance. He should avoid causing hurt to any form of life even his reflex activity. Scrupulous care in making , in speech, in food, in handling religious books and disposal of bodily excreta is to be excercised by him.

11-13) If hair abound they are to be uprooted with the help of bare hands without the aid of any razor or scissors. This practice is being followed to keep worldly needs and attachments to the minimum.

The Sthanak-vasi Jain Saints Renunciation and ahimsa in though, words and deeds are as much the guiding principles of the Sthanakvasi Jain saints as the Digambra munis. These saints do not take intoxicants or eat Abhaksha Padarth ( vHk{; inkFkZ ) or uneatables. They never take food specially prepared for them but accept a little out of that prepared in ordinary course for the regular consumption of a family leading a pious life. A Jain does not accept food or drink if brought to the place where he is putting up. He would instead move from door to door and either take his meal on the spot or collect only as must as it is just sufficient for him and his Guru for that day. It some body refuses food he does not get annoyed. He does not take anything at night nor even a medicine however acute the disease is. In summer he does not use fan and in winter he does not warm himself before fire or wrap himself in more clothes than the three ordinary sheets permissible to him according to the scriptures. He does not out on gloves and socks nor does he use wooden sandals or socks of any kind. He does not use any means of conveyance just as a motor-car etc but always walks on foot.

A Jain Sadhu does not own any landed or house hold property or keep with him any cash. Buying of things needed is never done. He dones not stay at one place for more than a month in the rainy season, the time he spends in meditation, reading scriptures deliversing sermons to people of all communities. He never uses scents or touches flowers or uses garlands. The pots and utensils used by him for food and drink are all made of wood or clay as he is not allowed to keep with him untensil or anything made of any metal.
These saints to not even keep a needle required to sew clothes. Whenever a needle required he would borrow it from some person and return it before the sun set the some day it by mistake he forgets to return it and keeps it overnight or by chance looses it, he has to observe a day’s fast as penance. While on tour the Sthanakvasi Jain saint carries on his back his small goods consisting of books of study, wooden-pots, and the few clothes while he never uses silken clothes even his cotton garments are white ad simple and limited in number and size.

The Sthanakvasi Jain Saints also keep a neat white piece of cloth on their mouths for the following reasons.

I. It is their emblem.

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II. It saves the small germs in the air from being killed by coming into direct contact with the warm breath of the mouth.

III. It reminds the speaker to have a constant control on his speech.

IV. It prevents spitting on the religious books while reading them.

A Jain remains a celibate for which he observe the nine main rules.

1. He shall not put up in a place where a female sex such as a mare, a cow, or a bitch or an evanch lives.

2. He shall not talk of women and indulge in describing their beauty. He does not even stand before or keep a picture of a woman.

3. He does not occupy the seat just vacated by a woman. It is done by mistake he has to keep a fast as a penance. If he happens to touch a woman every by mistake, he commits a sin and has to observe a fast.

4. He should not stare at a woman.

5. He should not put up in a house in which there is a partition or a curtain of cloth or bamboo etc.

6. He should not ruminate on the sexual pleasures and enjoyments he had in his previous worldly life.

7. He should take a very simple and ordinary diet. He should keep fasts every now and then in order to keep his passions under control.

8. He should take less food than required.

9. He should not waste his time and energy in rocuring and using soap, an oil and mirror for adorning his person. Though he does not take bath just as lay men do, but he keeps body neat and clean.

Similarly rules of conduct are observed by nuts.

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Intervention by death. While in the case of a Jain saint the question of taking a loan does not at all arise, a house holder should first first arrange to pay off a loan if he has any to pay, He should then, if at all necessary, write a will then if it is felt that death is actually staring in the face and not otherwise for then it would tantamount to committing of suicide which is to be considered as a sin resulting in torments of hells and a further spell of births and deaths, he should while giving up all attachments and aversion and refraining even from food and drinks or medicine resolve to embrace death with utmost purity and calmness. This death is in Jain parlance called salkshama.

Acharya Mantung, the so-called writer of Bhaktambar Shlokas, has given the advice that he should then absorb himself in concentration and meditation. Let him recite Namokar Mantra and then give up all ideas lust, anger vanity deceit and avrice. He may have Right Faith, Right Knowlegde and Right Conduct.

Duly and honourably bowing down at the lotus-like feet of Shree Jindeva which illuminates the lusture of jewels of the crowns of devout gods, bent before Adhinath in obeisance destroys the great or spreading darkness of sin and supports, in the beginning of the age persons failing down into this ocean of world.

This is indeed strange that I am bent on eulogizing the first Jinendra who was praised and worshipped by the rich and high Stotaras, magnetizing the hearts of the persons of the three folds world, composed by the lords of gods who are proficient in talent developed by the knowledge of the true and essential principle service Dwadashangi.

I am immodest and impudent, as I, through deficient in poetic genius, am intent of eulogizing you-you whose foot stool (throne) was worshipped and honoured by gods. Who else then a child wants to catch hold of a shadow of the moon seen in water?

O Ocean of Merits!
Who is able to describe your merits, as clear and shining as the light of the moon, even through he may equal Vrihaspati in talent? Who is able to swim an ocean full of properties and whates, tossed upwards by the tempest of deluge?

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O, great sage! Though I am quite deficient in poetic talent yet I have undertaken to compose this Stotra in our praise, being prompted y my devotion to you. Does not a doe, being encouraged by love for her fawn, run at the lion to deliver her young one from the lion’s clutches without thinking of her own power?

My devotion to you only perforce cause me to compose this eulogy , me who is conversant with only scanty knowledge and consequently an object of ridicule in the eyes of those who are well-versed with the proficient in the sacred science; for a collection of mango sprouts is instrumental in making the cuckoos coo in,the spring season.

As the rays of the sun quickly and easily disprease the total darkness of night which, being as dark and black as beees, pervaded throughout the whole world; similarly the continues sins and crimes of all the living beings easily are destroyed by your praise.

Having believed this eulogy as a means of destroying all sins thus, I, though, possessed of only scanty genius, begin this composition. This, being favoured by you, will captivate the heart of good ones. Indeed, the drops of water, being in contact with the leaves of lotuses, bear resemblance of the luster of pearls.

Although the sun be away his rays are strong enough to bloom sun lotuses in the ponds; similarly not to talk of your faultless praise the account of your doings only will prove destructive to the evils of the living beings.

O! Ornament of the world and Lord of the living! It is no wonder if he, who properly and duly praises you in this world, may attain equality with you. What is the use of the master if he does not make his dependent equal to himself in wealth and fortune?

The eyes of a man, after having seen you, you who is to be looked at with twinkles and fixed gaze get no satisfaction elsewhere. Who likes to drink the salty water of an ocean after he tasted water of the milky sea as shining and clear as the moon?

How can there be drawn a comparison between your mouth and the moon? The latter is stained with dark spots and looks pale as well in the day like the Palash leaves, while your mouth, which focuses the eyes of men, gods and Nagas, surpass all these objects comparison in this threefold world.

O, Lord of the three worlds! your merits, as shining and white as the silvery rays of the full-moon, extend over all the three worlds, for who can prevent them from morning in the world at will, being supported by the singular and matches patron like you?

It is no wonder if the celestial nymphs could not rouse, even in the lease, the passions in your heart. Can the peak of Sumeru mountain be possibly moved by the tempest of deluge, which had already shaken the other mountains?

O Lord! In this world you are the illumining light of rare singularity, which giving light to the whole sphere, has no smoke , wick and supply of oil in it. It is also unaffected by the wind which had shaken the other mountains.

O God! Your lotus like mouth of immense luster, which always remain risen, has destroyed the great darkness of delusion, do not enter the mouth of Rahu i.e., is unaffected by Rahu, is not hidden by clouds and gives light to the whole world, shines like the singular and peerless moon.

The darkness being destroyed by your moon like face, the moon is useless by the night and the sun by the day. Similarly, what is the use of clouds, hanging down by the weight of water after the ripeness of rice fields in the country.

The other gods such as Hari and Har, posses no such supreme knowledge as you have in you with its all illumining quality; for the real luster, which shines in the glittering jewels with its full splendour, cannot be reflected in equal degree, by the glass pieces, even abounding in the rays of light.

It is better that I have seen Hari and Har first; as by doing my heart finds its satisfaction on seeing you What good is it to look at your first because after seeing you no other God can captivate my hear even in the life to come?

Hundreds of women give birth to sons by hundreds, but no woman can give birth to a son like you; for all the eight directions may hold stars but it is the east only that can produce the sun, profusely abounding in illumining rays.

O best of the sages! The saints look upon you as the Supreme soul, the sun for destroying darkness and the one free from impurities. They overcome death after having duly obtained you and, hence, there is no other course of Salvation more auspicious than you.

The sages regard you as imperishable, store of Super-human qualities, incomprehensible, innumerable, the first and principal Tirthankara, the supreme and highest soul, Lord of gods, infinite the destroyer of cupid, the chief among yogees , conversant with yoga mutual abstraction , many with reference to your attributes and properties, one as regards to substance endowed with Supreme knowledge , and free from impurities.

You are god Budha as the other gods and learned persons Ganadhar have worshipped and praised your knowledge; being the souces of the prosperity of all living beings you are the only God Shiva; O resolute one! As you laid down rules, serving as a guide to road of salvation you are the creator and what more O God! You, being the best among the persons, are the only Narain,

O Lord! Bow to you who are the destroyer of the pains and suffering of this threefold world; bow to you, the pure and genuine ornament of the face of the earth; bow to you, the paramount lord of this creation and O Jina! Bow to you, the desi of the ocean of this worldly existence.

O, best among the sages! It is o strange if all of the merits have taken shelter in you in densely clustered numbers and if the faults, being puffed up with pride at having obtained the patronage of other god, did not cast a glance at you, even in dream.

While sitting under the tall Ashoka tree, your white body, giving out rays of light, appears like the disc of the Sun which, being in close proximity of the clouds and dispelling the great expance of dark, shines with brilliant rays of immense radiance.

The gold-like brilliant body of yours, while seated on the throne, diversified by the gleaming rays of jewels, resemble the Sun whose canopy-like radiant rays in the sky shine on the high peak of the eastern mountain.

Your body, shining as bright as gold and being greatly beautified by the waving of white chowrees, looks like the lofty peak of golden Sumeru Mountain where the stream of water, as white and clear as the rising moon, flows down in great torrents.

Your moonlike silvery three-fold umbrella which being raised high and greatly beautified by a great number of pearls, keeps off heat of the sun rays, is like an indicative evidence of your paramount supremacy over three worlds.

Filling al the quarters with deep and loud sounds, the noise of drums, which clever in offering good fortune and happiness of good society, makes generally and publicity known our fame and speaking aloud the shouts of victory of Jina, goes over in the sky.

The shower of flowers of the trees, such as Mandar, Sundar Nameru, Suparijat, and Santanak, falls down from the sky with the gentle wind, laden with the suspicious drops of scented water, is, as it were, the continuous flow of your divine and excellent words.

O Lord! The excessive light of your shining halo, rivalling as it were, the blaze of the densely clustered suns and surpassing the luster of the brilliant objects of the three worlds overcomes the darkness of the night; even though it is as gentle and mild as the light of the moon.

Your singular speech, which is indispensable in seeking out the paths to the heaven and salvation, proficient in expounding the philosophy and principles of the Right faith and coupled with the clear and exhaustive meaning, is ripe with the distinctive features of its comprehensive faculty.

O, Jinendra! Gods arrange lotuses at wherever you set your feet which, being beautified by the rays of light, reflected from the sparkling nails, possess the luster of a large number of recently blown lotuses of gold.

Thus no other gods can aspire to resemble you in superman excellence which is the distinctive characteristic of your instructive style of expounding Tatvas. How can the light of stars possess the same faculty of destroying darkness as is owned by the sun.

Your devotees are not terrified even in the least when they see themselves attacked by the unruly and huge Aravat-like elephant, provoked to anger by the humming of bees; which being excited, fly near the frontal globes of the elephant , which are dirty and unsteady on account of the dripping down of ichor.

The lion King of the beasts, who has adorned the ground by scattering lot of white pearls, which; being covered with blood, have fallen down from the rent, temples of an elephant, and has assumed a posture for assailing , cannot attach upon men, even fallen in his clutches after their having taken refuge under your mountain-like feet.

The repeating of your name is a water, capable to put out the conflagration of a forest, which rising up in front kindled by wind, blowing at the time of deluge, tossing up sparks and blazing up in flames , is, as it were, going to swallow up the whole creation.

A man, possessing at his heart Nagdamini of your name, fearlessly treads on a serpent, who, being mad with fury and having red eys, has raised up its hood to bite with and whose neck is as black as that of a cuckoo.

As the sun at the dawn is able to disperse the darkness, similarly your name, is powerful enough to soon disperse the army of the great kings in a battle, resounding with the noise of the galloping horses and roaring elephants.

In a battle, the fierceness of which was enhanced by the cries of soldier, being drifted away by and eager to cross over the blood-current of elephants, lent by the points of lances the persons, by resorting to the forest of your lotus-like feet, attain victory over invincible opponents.

Persons in the ships, balancing on the rising waves in ocean, agitated by the terrible crocodiles, porpoises and whates as well as by submarine fire, sail to the shore without any fear by repeating your name.

Persons, bent down under the weight of the horribly risen dropsy, being in pitiable plight and with lost hopes of life, attain equality with the cupid in beauty by applying to their bodies the nectar of pollen of your lotus-like feet.

Persons, constantly in irons from top to toe and with their thighs scratched over with the edges of the fast bound strong chains, instantly get themselves off the fear of confinement by resorting to the charm of your name.

Of a wise man who recites, this eulogy of yours the fear arising form these eight sources, such as-intoxicated elephants, lion, fire, serpent, battle, ocean, dropsy and bonds suddenly dies away, as it were, being frightened.

In this world the goddess of prosperity is compelled to approach the respectable person who constantly put on round his neck the garland of merits produced in this eulogic form by me in devotion to you and composed of various pretty flowers of literary, beauty.

Meditation and Contemplation: If we allow the paths of conduct prescribed above for a true house-holder and an ascetic one after the other, we will be able to awaken in ourselves that calmness and firmness of mind which are so essential for meditation and contemplation- the ultimate means of self-realisation and attainment of Godhood. With the calmness and firmness of mind a yogi cease to feel disturbed and distracted from the divine vision even when he; is surrounded by our environment of heat and cold, hails and storm.

Constant contemplation and recitation of the following shaloka will be found to be highly useful in this connection:-

This is to the effect that I am one, all free, all pure, invested with divine attributes of complete knowledge and comprehension all else is outside me, is nit myself and is the product of my karmas or actions.

Speaking about Jain saints Ren Prof. Dr. Charles W. Gilky syas “I have been greatly impressed by the high moral tone and ethical standard of Jain sadhus and also by their teachings.”

Dr. Herman Jacobi in his book Short studies on India and China” (Page 150-151)

“The sole and whole object of Jain monks is to lead a life dedicated to the betterment of soul and upliftment of humanity. They do no become sadhus for name and fame.”

From one lamp a thousand can be lit from the glowing lamp of Jain Acharya’s teachings and examples many holy lives are lit. May theri spirit of peace & fellowship spread throughout

Miss Millicant Shepherd
Chief Orgniser, Moral and Social Association

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When Alexender arrived at Taxtile and saw the Indian Gymnosophists (Jain munis) a desire seized him to have one of hese men brought into his presence because he admired their endurance. The eldest of these Sophists with whom the other lives as disciples not only refused to go himself but prevented the others going. Alxender is said to have won yer Kalanus one of sophists of the place.

The life of Budha by

E.I. Thomas (page 115)

I have seen them walk naked through a large town, women and girls looking at them without any more emotion than may be created when a hermit passes through our streets. Females often bring them alms with devotion.

Dr. Boner’sTravelsin Maysal
empliment (pages 317)

Abul Fazal, Minister of Empror Akbar thus described ideal Jain laymen in his Ayeeni-Akbari:-

A layman of the Jain sect is called a saravaka, who observe the undernoted rule of conduct: He never injures the innocent and nover tell untruths on the following occasion as he considers it a great sin (i) In bearing witness, (ii) In breach of trust, (iii) In praise or dispraise of virgins, (iv) concerning an ox.

He does not soil his hands with dishonesty of any kind. He does not covet another man’s wife. He keeps only as much wealth as his necessity and bestows the rest in charity. When on a journey he travels only stated distances. He calculates the necessary want of each day and lives accordingly. He does not go where a woman has been burnt with her hunband nor to a place where a male factor has suffered death. He sets apart Ghuries of every day for devotion. He sleeps only during the appointed time. He abstains from food and drink day and night on the 8th ,14th ,15th, 28th, of the moon and next morning feed the poor before breaking the fasts. The sravaka examines himself before going to sleep. He constantly attends to the reading of divine books. He bestows charity makes it a rule to praise the virtuous and never speaks ill of any one. The Saravaka is particularly respectlful in his conversation concerning princes. A saravaka marries one wife- equal in status. He is ever afraid of doing evils wherever he dewels, he conforms to the laws of the land. He chooses a habituated place that is neither very public , nor totally secluded from society. His house has not more then two or three doors and windows. He settles in a good neighbourhood and associates with the virtuous. He is dutiful to his father and mother. He regulates his expenses according to his income, dresses suitable to his rank in life. He studies the divine book and follows their precepts implicitly. He never eats but at stated meals. He is not covetous of riches. He is charitable to a guest, the sick and the ascetics. He is not vain of is person, nor of his word. He is desirous of being interested in every profession. He partakes in the misfortunes of his relations. He has grateful sense of favours conferred on him. Its deportment is pleasing everyone. He is diffident in his manners, courteous to all and upright in every transaction of his life. He keeps sensual gratification under the command of reasons.

(Jain Gazette Oct, 1905)

The above remark by Abul Fazal bares ample testimony of the high moral standard maintained by the Jains of his time. We should keep up his tradition and possibly we are doing it.

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