Tattvartha Sutra (with commentary)
by Vijay K. Jain | 2018 | 130,587 words | ISBN-10: 8193272625 | ISBN-13: 9788193272626
This page describes classification of the (fivefold) vow (vrata) which is verse 7.1 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 1 of the chapter The Five Vows and includes an extensive commentary.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Verse 7.1 - Classification of the (fivefold) vow (vrata)
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Tattvartha ūٰ 7.1:
हिंसाऽनृतस्तेयाब्रह्मपरिग्रहेभ्य� विरतिव्रतम� � �.� �
ṃs'nṛtasteyābrahmaparigrahebhyo virativratam || 7.1 ||
Desisting (virati) from injury (ṃs), falsehood (ṛt), stealing (steya), unchastity (abrahma) and attachment-to-possessions (parigraha) is the (fivefold) vow (vrata). (1)
Hindi Anvayarth:
अन्वयार्�: [हिंसाऽनृतस्तेयाब्रह्मपरिग्रहेभ्य� विरतिः] हिंस�, झू�, चोरी, मैथु� और परिग्र� अर्थात� पदार्थों के प्रत� ममत्वरूप परिणमन-इन पाँच पापो� से (बुद्धिपूर्वक) निवृत्� होना सो [व्रतम्] व्रत है�
Anvayartha: [himsa'nritasteyabrahmaparigrahebhyo viratih] himsa, jhutha, cori, maithuna aura parigraha arthat padarthom ke prati mamatvarupa parinamana-ina pamca papom se (buddhipurvaka) nivritta hona so [vratam] vrata hai |
Explanation in English from Ācārya Pūjyapāda’s Sarvārthasiddhi:
At the beginning of Chapter-5, while describing influx (), it was said, in general, that virtuous (śܲ) activity is the cause of merit (ṇy). Now the virtuous (śܲ) activity is explained specifically.
It has been described in later ūٰ(s) that injury (ṃs) is severance of vitalities out of passion, and so on. Abstaining from these is called the vow (vrata). The vow (vrata) is a deliberately declared and self-imposed observance. For instance, it can be a declaration in form of ‘this must be done� or ‘this must not be done�. A contention is raised. The dispositions of injury (ṃs), etc., are not permanently present; how can these be the factors-of-action (첹)[1] that are dislodged (Բ)? The answer is that in desisting from these dispositions deliberately, there is permanence in dislodgement. Hence these become the factors-of-action (첹) that are dislodged (Բ). Let us take the following example. A man desists from virtue. He reflects that virtue is difficult to be practised and its fruit is imaginary, that is, a matter of faith only. In the same manner, another man who is far-sighted reflects as follows. The thoughts of injury, etc., are the causes of sin or demerit. And those who indulge in sinful activities are punished here itself by the king and his authorities, and are also subjected to suffering later (in the next world). Thus, with his discriminating knowledge, he desists from injury, etc. Therefore, when the person desists from such activities using intellect or discrimination, it is appropriate to attribute permanence to dislodgement (Բ), which is a factor-of-action (첹).
The word ‘desisting� (abstaining) is added to every one of the terms–desisting from injury, desisting from falsehood, desisting from stealing, desisting from unchastity, and desisting from attachment-to-possessions. Non-injury is mentioned first as it is the most important of the vows. Just as the surrounding fence protects the corn, similarly, truth, etc., safeguard the vow of non-injury (aṃs). From the point of view of �峾⾱첹 ٰ� (see ūٰ 9-18)–equanimity or concen-tration of mind wherein one desists from all harmful activities–the vow is one. And from the standpoint of reinitiation (chedopasthapanā ٰ) the same vow is spoken of as fivefold, as mentioned here. Now, is it not improper to describe non-injury, etc., as the causes of the influx (), as these are included in the causes of stoppage (ṃv)? Self-control (gupti) and regulation-of-activities (samiti) are mentioned as the causes of stoppage (ṃv) of influx (see ūٰ 9-2). Also, among the ten moral virtues or discipline�dasa dharma–self-restraint (ṃy) is included; and self-restraint (ṃy) must include the vow (vrata). But there is no contradiction. There the reference is to the dissociation (Ծṛtپ) aspect of the stoppage (ṃv) of influx () which is characterized by abstinence. Here it is the indulgence (ṛtپ) aspect of active life that is emphasized. When violence, falsehood, stealing, unchastity and attachment are discontinued, non-violence, truth, non-stealing, chastity and detachment are practised. And it facilitates stoppage (ṃv) of influx () through self-control (gupti), and so on. The ascetic who practises the vows easily stops the influx (). Hence the vows are mentioned here separately. Now, should not the sixth minor-vow (걹ٲ) of abstaining from eating at night be added here? No. It is included among observances for the vow of non-injury (aṃs). These are enumerated later (see ūٰ 7-4). Among these is mentioned the practice of examining the food before eating to see that there are no organisms in it�ǰ쾱ٲԲᲹԲ. This encompasses abstaining from eating at night.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Factors-of-action (첹) are of six kinds:
- the doer (첹),
- the activity (karma),
- the instrument (첹ṇa),
- the bestowal (ṃpԲ),
- the dislodgement (Բ), and
- the substratum (adhi첹ṇa).
Each of these is of two kinds:
- empirical sixfold factors-of-action (ⲹ ṣaṭ�) and
- transcendental sixfold factors-of-action (niścaya ṣaṭ�).
(see �ʰԲ�, p. 21-23).