Ethics of Jainism

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:
* ''Ahiṃsā'' (Non-violence)
* ''Satya'' (Truth)
* ''Asteya'' (Non-stealing)
* ''Brahmacharya'' (Chastity)
* ''Aparigraha'' (Non-possession)

According to Jain text, ''Puruşārthasiddhyupāya'':

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:

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

Satya is the vow to not lie, and to speak the truth. A monk or nun must not speak the false, and either be silent or speak the truth. According to Pravin Shah, the great vow of satya applies to "speech, mind, and deed", and it also means discouraging and disapproving others who perpetuate a falsehood.

The underlying cause of falsehood is passion and therefore, it is said to cause ''hiṃsā'' (injury).

Asteya

Asteya as a great vow means not take anything which is not freely given and without permission. It applies to anything even if unattended or unclaimed, whether it is of worth or worthless thing. This vow of non-stealing applies to action, speech and thought. Further a mendicant, states Shah, must neither encourage others to do so nor approve of such activities.

According to the Jain text, '' Puruṣārthasiddhyupāya'':

According to ''Tattvarthasutra'', five observances that strengthen this vow are:
*Residence in a solitary place
*Residence in a deserted habitation
*Causing no hindrance to others,
*Acceptance of clean food, and
*Not quarreling with brother monks.

Brahmacharya

Brahmacharya as a great vow of Jain mendicants means celibacy and avoiding any form of sexual activity with body, words or mind. A monk or nun should not enjoy sensual pleasures, which includes all the five senses, nor ask others to do the same, nor approve of another monk or nun engaging in sexual or sensual activity.Pravin K Shah
Five Great Vows (Maha-vratas) of Jainism
Jainism Literature Center, Harvard University

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:
*Wrong belief
*The three sex-passions
**Male sex-passion
**Female sex-passion
**Neuter sex-passion
*Six defects
**Laughter
**Liking
**Disliking
**Sorrow
**Fear
**Disgust
*Four passions
**Anger
**Pride
**Deceitfulness
**Greed

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)

The five great vows apply only to ascetics in Jainism, and in their place are five minor vows for householders. The historic texts of Jains accept that any activity by a layperson would involve some form of ''himsa'' (violence) to some living beings, and therefore the minor vow emphasizes reduction of the impact and active efforts to protect. The five "minor vows" in Jainism are modeled after the great vows, but differ in degree and they are less demanding or restrictive than the same "great vows" for ascetics. Thus, ''brahmacharya'' for householders means chastity, or being sexually faithful to one's partner. Similarly, states John Cort, a mendicant's great vow of ahimsa requires that he or she must avoid gross and subtle forms of violence to all six kinds of living beings (earth beings, water beings, fire beings, wind beings, vegetable beings and mobile beings). In contrast, a Jain householder's minor vow requires no gross violence against higher life forms and an effort to protect animals from "slaughter, beating, injury and suffering".

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 five 'lesser vows' of anuvrata consist of the five greater vows but with less restrictions to incorporate the duties of a householder, i.e. a layperson with a home, he or she has responsibilities to the family, community and society that a Jain monk does not have. These minor vows have the following incorporated into ethical conduct:

# Take account of the responsibilities of a householder.
# Are often limited in time.
# Are often limited in scope.

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.

See also

* Jain philosophy
* Ethics
* Tapas (Indian religions)
* Tapas (Jain religion)

References

Sources

*
*
*
*

External links

*

{{Jainism topics

Jain law