ETHICS OF JAINISM
The eleven pratimas or stages laid down for householders are as follows :
(1) Darsana Pratima :
The householder must possess the perfect.
intelligent and well-reasoned faith in Jainism, that is, he should have a
sound knowledge of its doctrines and their applications in life. He must
be free from all misconceptions and also from attachment to worldly
pleasures of every kind.
(2) Vrata Pratima :
The householder must observe the twelve vows, that is,
five anuvratas, three gunavratas and four siksavratas, without
transgressions of any of them. He must also keep up the extra vow of
sallekhana. Such a householder is called a vrati.
(3) Samayika Pratima :
When the observance of the twelve vows is
satisfactory, the householder should perform samayika which tem�porarily
assimilates him to the status of an ascetic. Samayika consists in
worshipping regularly, in general for forty-eight minutes, three times
daily. Here worship means self-contemplation and purification of one�s
ideas and emotions.
(4) Prosadhopavasa Pratima :
This is a stage of fasting and it involves
fasting regularly, as a rule, twice a fortnight in each lunar month. The
entire period of fasting has to be spent in prayer, study of scriptures,
meditation and hearing of religious discourses.
(5) Sachitta-tyaga Pratima :
The householders should abstain from eating
uncooked or insufficiently cooked vegetables and food-stuffs and should
also refrain from serving such food to others. Similarly, he should not
trample upon any growing plant or pluck fruits from a tree. According to
the vetambara texts this vow is ranked seventh in the list of Pratimas.
Unboiled water as well as liquids that contain salts are also prohibited.
(6) Ratri-bhojana-tyaga Pratima :
In this stage the householder abstains
from taking any kind of food after sunset. This practice is extended to
include abstinence from taking any kind of drink also at night. According
to the Svetambara texts, the sixth stage refers to abrahma-varjana pratima
wherein the layman is prohibited from having not only sexual contact but
also being alone with his wife and engaging in conversation with her.
(7) Brahmacharya Pratima :
The householder in this stage must observe
complete celibacy, maintain sexual purity, put an end to all sexual
desires and even avoid the use of all personal decorations which would
lead to sexual desires. According to the Svetambara texts, abrahma-varjana
pratima is the sixth stage requiring similar restrictions on sexual life.
(8) Arambha-tyaga Pratima :
The householder has to make further advance in
this stage. He must refrain from all activities like commerce,
agriculture, service etc. exercised directly or indirectly for livelihood.
This he has to do with a view to avoid himsa, i.e., injury to living
beings, as far as possible. If he has children, he must give them all
their shares and must use what is left with him for his maintenance and
for giving as charity to others. In this stage the Svetambara texts,
however, do not seem to prohibit activity exercised indirectly through
agents or servants for the sake of livelihood.
(9) Parigraha-tyaga Pratima :
This stage contemplates the abandon�ment of
all kinds of attachment. The householder should give up ten kinds of
worldly possessions, viz., land, house, silver, gold, cattle, grain,
clothes, utensils, maid-servants and male-servants. Even in matters like
food, shelter and clothing, he should keep just enough for his mere
requirements. In a way he should train himself generally to bear the
hardships incidental to a life of asceticism. Hence this stage is
essentially one of preparation for the eleventh stage.
The Svetambara texts use the word presya-tyaga pratima to denote this
stage. It requires the householder to lay down the burdens of worldly life
and stop carrying on any activity through servants and agents. He reduces
his requirements to the minimum and cherishes a longing for final release.
(10) Anumati-tyaga Pratima :
A householder in this stage has to increase
the vigour of his living in the direction of asceticism. As such he should
give up all his activities like trade and agriculture, his attachments to
property and his concern with any of the family affairs. He should
entertain no feeling of like or dislike towards food served to him. He
should not express either consent or dissent towards any of the activities
or functions carried on by any of the members of his family.
(11) Uddista-tyaga Pratima :
This is the highest stage of discipline for a
householder. Here he abandons his family house, goes to a forest or a
lonely place for shelter and adopts the rules laid down for the guidance
of ascetics. He will not accept invitation for food. This is the highest
stage of a Sravaka and hence he is called Uttama Sravaka.
According to Svetambara texts, the Uddista-tyaga Pratima is the tenth
stage and the eleventh stage is called the Sramana-bhuta Pratima. In this
stage the householder observes according to his capacity the rules of
conduct prescribed for the ascetics.
A householder is advised that according to his ability and environ�ment he
should proceed stage by stage and that he should observe the rules of
discipline that are prescribed for each stage. It, therefore, follows that
the progress which a householder can achieve would finally depend upon his
own convictions and faith in the Jaina philosophy. Psychologically, there
cannot be a sudden change in life from the stage of material attachments
to the stage of renunciation. That is why the eleven stages of discipline
involving practice of vigorous mental and spiritual austerities is quite
practical and worthy of realization by every aspirant. The final stage of
a householder is, thus, a preparation for asceticism. He practically
perfoms all the austerities and awaits his initiation into asceticism.
It is obvious that these eleven stages are scientifically conceived and
practically graded. The graded steps have to be climbed one after the
other only after the householder has been- firm in the preceding step or
steps. The climbing commences with the `Right Belief,� and progress is
achieved only when he is prepared to observe the more difficult vows and
rules of conduct. Thus through these eleven stages a householder is fully
prepared for practising the severe course of ascetic life.
(3) Six Avasyakas
Apart from the observance of twelve vratas, i.e., vows and eleven pratimas,
i.e., stages, a householder is also required to perform six Avasyakas,
i.e., daily duties. As regards the nomenclature of these six Avasyakas,
i.e.. daily duties, there is a difference of opinion among different
Accordingly, the six daily duties of a householder are commonly listed as
Devapuja gurupastih svadhyayah saniyamastapah
Danam cheti grhasthanam satkarmani dine dine .
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that is. the six daily activities or duties of householders are : worship
of God, worship of the preceptor, study of scriptures, practice of self
control, practice of austerities, and giving gifts.
It may be noted that in many authoritative sacred texts, a second set of
six Avasyakas is :
(i) Samayika, i.e., Meditation;
(ii) Stuti or Chaturvirrisati-Jina-stuti, i.e., Praising of the
twenty-four Jinas or Tirthankaras who are the religious ideals of all
(iii) 0andana, i.e., Ceremonial and humble greeting of or saluta�tion to
the spiritual teachers or worshipful saints:
(iv) Pratikramana, i.e., Repentence of all transgressions (or the
recitation of the formulae of confession of past faults);
(v) Kayotsarga, i.e., Austerity performed by standing motionless in a
specific posture; and
(vi) Pratyakhyana, i.e., Renunciation, which means resolving to avoid
particular thoughts and actions in future, which tend to disturb the
performance of essential duties, (or, the recitation of formulae for the
for fending of future faults generally ex�pressed in the form of
abstinence from food and drink and comforts).
As regards this second set of six Avasyakas it may be noted that while
Digambara texts mention these Avasyakas in the order given above, the
Svetambara texts reverse the positions of the last two duties of
Kayotsarga and Pratyakhyana, that is, the Svetambara texts mention
Pratyakhyana as the fifth duty and Kayotsarga as the sixth duty.
The main reason for the constant performance of these daily duties seems
to always keep up the eagerness and enthusiasm of the house�holders in
their march towards spiritual progress.
(4) General Principles of Appropriate Conduct
On the basis of the rules of Right Conduct laid down in Jaina scriptures,
the prominent Jaina Acharyas or saints and thinkers have enunciated a
number of general principles of appropriate conduct as guidance for
putting them into actual practice by the sravakas or householders during
their entire career as members of the Jaina community. These principles
are also termed as S`ravaka-gunas, i.e., qualities of an ideal
In this connection among the relevant Swetambara Jaina texts, the
important treatise entitled Yoga-sastra composed by the renowned Acharya
Hemachandra presents a list of the thirty-five attributes of an ideal
sravaka or general principles of appropriate conduct of sravakas :
(1) Nyayasampannavibhavah (���ֵ��ִ�֮�ֳ־�:) : Possessed of honestly
(2) Sstachara-prasarnsakah(��֓�ָ�-��Ͽ���֍� : ): Eulogistic of the
conduct of the virtuous.
(3) Papabhiru (��ֳ֯�߹�) : Apprehensive of sin.
(4) Kulasila-samaih sardham anyagotrajaih krtodvahah (����ֿ���ִ��:
��֬�Դ�� ������֕��: ��������������: ) : Wedded to a spouse of the
same caste and traditions but not of the same Gotra
(5) Prasiddham desacharam samacharan (�����֬�� �����֓�ָ�� �ִ�ָ֓����
): Following the reputable usages of the country.
(6) Avarnavadi na kvapi rajadisu visesatah (��֝�Ծ�֤�� ����ׯ� ��֕��ؤ����ֿ���֝��:
) : Not denigrating other people, particularly rulers.
(7) Anativyakte gupte sthane suprativesmike
aneka-nirgamadvara�vivarjita-niketana (���ן־�����㯟�� ã�֭��������ן־��ۿ�֍�������
�Դ֫�ָ�-־�ٕ֟�-֍���֭� ) Dwelling in a place which is not too
exposed and not too enclosed, with good neighbours, and few exits.
(8) Sat-acharaih krta-sarigah (�֟��-�֓�ָ��: �������Ӑ� : ) : Attached
to good moral standards.
(9) Mata pitroh pujakah (��֟��-ׯ֡���: ���֍� : ) : Honouring father
(10) Upaplutam sthanam tyajan (��֯����� ã�֭�ӟ�֭֕�� ) ; Eschewing a
place of calamity.
(11) Garhite apravrtta (�������� ���Ͼ���: ) : Not engaging in a re
(12) Vyayam ayochitam kurvan (��ִֵ�� �ֵ���ד֟�� �����ԭ�� ) : Spending
in proportion to one�s income.
(13) Vesam vittanusaratah kurvan (������ ֢�֭����ָ���: �����έ�� ) :
Dressing in accordance with one�s income.�
(14) Astabhih dhigunaih yuktah (��׳�: ��ߐ����: ��㌟� : ) : Endowed
with the eight kinds of intelligence.
(15) Dharmam anvaham srnvan (�ִ�Դ�� ������� ��靾֭�� ) : Listening
everyday to the sacred doctrine.
(16) Ajirne Bhojana-tyagin (���ߝ�� ����֭�-����א֭�� ) : Not eating on
a full stomach.
(17) Kale bhokta satmyatah (��ֻ�� ���ꌟ�� ��֟��֟�: ) : Eating at the
right time according to a dietary regime.
(18) Anyonya pratibandhena trivargam sadhayan (�����ꭵ�-���ןֲ֭����
ס־�� ��ֵ֭֬�� :) : Fulfilling the three-fold aim of life-that is,
dharma, aratha and kama-without excluding any of its ele�ments.
(19) Yathavat atithau sadhau dine cha pratipatti-krt (�֣�־֟�� �ן֣���
��֬��� ��߭��� ���ן֯�ע�-������ ) : Diligent in succouring the
ascetics, the righteous and the needy.
(20) Sada-anabhinivista : ( �֤�� - ��׳���� )Always devoid of
(21) Gunesu paksapatin : ( �������� �ց֯��ן֭�� )Favourably inclinedto
(22) Adesa-kalayoh charyam tyajan (������-��ֵֻ���: �ֵ��� ��֭֕�� ) :
Avoiding action which is inappropriate to time and place.
(23) Balabalam janan (�ֻ�ֲֻ�� ��֭֭�� ) : Aware of one�s own strength
(24) Vratastha jnitna-vrddhanam pujaka (��Ο�ã֗�֭־�鬤�֭��� ���֍�
)Venerating persons of high morality and discernment.
(25) Posya posaka (����µ�-�����֍� ) : Supporting one�s dependents.
(26) Dirgha-dark(��ߑ�Ԥ���� ) : Far-sighted.
(27) Visesajna (ֿ���֖�) : Discriminating.
(28) Krtajana (����֖�) : Grateful.
(29) Loka-vallabha (�����-�ֻ�ֳ� ) : well-liked.
(30) Salajja (�ֻ֕��) : Actuated by a sense of shame.
(31) Sadaya (�֤���) : Compassionate.
(32) Saumya (����) : Gentle in disposition.
(33) Paropakrti-karmatha (�ָ���֍��ן�-����Ԛ� ) Ready to render service
(34) Antaraitgari-sadvarga-parihara parayana (�ӟָ������-֛�����-�����ָ�-�ָ�ֵ֝�
) : Intent on avoiding the six adversaries of the soul.
(35) Vasikrtendriyagrama (�ֿ�ߍ�����ۭ�����ִ� ) : Victorious over the
organs of sense.