Tattvartha Sutra (with commentary)
by Vijay K. Jain | 2018 | 130,587 words | ISBN-10: 8193272625 | ISBN-13: 9788193272626
This page describes supplementary vows of the householder with minor-vows which is verse 7.21 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 21 of the chapter The Five Vows and includes an extensive commentary.
Verse 7.21 - Supplementary vows of the householder with minor-vows
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Tattvartha ūٰ 7.21:
दिग्देशानर्थदण्डविरतिसामायिकप्रोषधोपवासोपभोगपरिभोगपरिमाणातिथिसंविभागवतसंपन्नश्� � �.२१ �
徱śԲٳ岹ṇḍپ峾⾱첹ṣaDZ貹DZ貹Dz貹Dz貹ṇātٳṃv岵ٲṃpԲԲś || 7.21 ||
The householder with minor-vows (걹ٲ) is also equipped with these supplementary vows: withdrawing from activity with regard to the direction�digvirati, withdrawing from activity with regard to the country�śپ, withdrawing from purposeless sin�Բٳ-岹ṇḍپ, periodic concentration�峾⾱첹ٲ, fasting at regular intervals�ṣaDZ貹ٲ, limiting consumable and non-consumable things�ܱ貹Dz貹Dz貹ṇaٲ, and partaking of one’s food after feeding the ascetic�پٳṃv岵ٲ. (21)
Hindi Anvayarth:
अन्वयार्�: [च] और फि� वे व्रत [दिग्देशानर्थदण्डविरतिसामायिकप्रोषधोपवासोपभोगपरिभोगपरिमाणातिथिसंविभागव्रतसंपन्नः] दिग्व्रत, देशव्र� तथ� अनर्थदण्डव्र� ये ती� गुणव्र� और सामायि�, प्रोषधोपवा�, उपभो�-परिभोग परिमाण (मर्याद�) तथ� अतिथिसंविभागवत ये चा� शिक्षाव्रत सहित होते है� अर्थात� व्रतधारी श्रावक पाँच अणुव्र�, ती� गुणव्र� और चा� शिक्षाव्रत, इन बारह व्रतों सहित होता है�
Anvayartha: [ca] aura phira ve vrata [digdeshanarthadandaviratisamayikaproshadhopavasopabhogaparibhogaparimanatithisamvibhagavratasampannah] digvrata, deshavrata tatha anarthadandavrata ye tina gunavrata aura samayika, proshadhopavasa, upabhoga-paribhoga parimana (maryada) tatha atithisamvibhagavata ye cara shikshavrata sahita hote haim arthat vratadhari shravaka pamca anuvrata, tina gunavrata aura cara shikshavrata, ina baraha vratom sahita hota hai |
Explanation in English from Ācārya Pūjyapāda’s Sarvārthasiddhi:
Are these the only peculiarities of the householder, or are there others also?
The word �virati’–withdrawing from–is added to each of the first three. Thus, it should be read as withdrawing from the direction�digvirati, withdrawing from the country or region�śپ, and withdrawing from purposeless sinful activity�Բٳ岹ṇḍپ. These three are called �ṇaٲ� as the word �vrata� is added on to every one of these. Further, the vow of concentration�峾⾱첹ٲ, fasting at regular intervals�ṣaDZ貹ٲ, limiting consumable and non-consumable things�ܱ貹Dz貹Dz-貹ṇaٲ, and partaking of one’s food after feeding the ascetic�پٳṃv岵ٲ, are the other supplementary vows which are called �śṣāvٲ�. The householder who observes all these seven vows, besides, of course, the five minor vows mentioned already, is called �屹ٲ�, i.e., the one who observes abstinence as well as non-abstinence. It is explained as follows. The directions are east, west, and so on (the eight corners of the compass with the upward and the downward make up ten). Taking a resolve not to participate in activities beyond set limits in the directions, fixing the boundaries with well-known mountains, rivers, villages, towns, etc., is the vow of abstinence with regard to direction�digvirati. Since there is no injury (ṃs) caused by the householder to one-or more-sensed living beings beyond the fixed boundaries, he is supposed to observe great vows�屹ٲ–in the area outside his limited area of activity. Though there may be opportunity for gain outside his limited area, he does not direct his thoughts there. Thus he curbs his desire or greed (lobha). The region determined by villages, and so on, is the country or province. Desisting from activity outside the chosen country is the vow of abstinence with regard to the country�śپ. As in the previous instance, the householder practising this vow is supposed to observe great vows�屹ٲ–beyond his country. The activity which leads to sin without any advantage to self or others is purposeless sin�Բٳ岹ṇḍ. Withdrawing from such activity is to be free from purposeless sin�Բٳ岹ṇḍپ. Purposeless sin is of five kinds, namely, evil thought�貹Բ, preaching of sin�DZ貹ś, negligent activity�峦ٲ, giving of hurtful things�ṃspradāna, and listening to undesirable stories�śܲśܳپ. Wishing how others may suffer from victory and defeat, punishment, bondage, mutilation, confiscation of their possessions, and so on, is evil thought�貹Բ. Speaking evil words which incite others to cause suffering to animals, to pursue commerce and activities causing injury to the living beings, and so on, is preaching of sin�DZ貹ś. Cutting trees, digging the earth, sprinkling water, and so on, without any purpose, is negligent activity�峦ٲ. Giving hurtful things, such as poison, thorn, weapon, fire, rope, whip and stick, is the fourth kind of purposeless sin, i.e., giving of hurtful things�ṃspradāna. Listening to or narrating stories which provoke injury, lust, etc., is the fifth kind, i.e., listening to undesirable stories�śܲśܳپ.
The preposition �sam� means ‘to become one�. For instance, ghee merges–becomes one–with the thing mixed. To merge or become one is �samaya�. That, which has oneness as its object, is �峾⾱첹�. Thus, to become one with the self is �峾⾱첹�. For the time and within the place of his concentration, the householder practising �峾⾱첹� observes great vows�屹ٲ–since he is free from minute (ūṣm) and gross (ٳū) injury (ṃs), and other demerits. It is argued that, in that case, the householder should be deemed having perfect restraint�첹ṃy. But it is untenable as there is the rise of the karmas which destroy complete restraint. In that case he should not be called as observing great vows�屹ٲ. No. He is called as observing great vows�屹ٲ–figuratively. It is like the generality says figuratively that the auspicious month �caitra� prevails year-round for the royal household.
The word �ṣa� refers to the holy days in the lunar month. Abstaining from the pleasures of the five senses, and dwelling in the self in deep concentration is fasting (ܱ貹). It means giving up the four kinds of food. Fasting during �ṣa� is �ṣaDZ貹�. That is, fasting on the eighth and the fourteenth days of the lunar cycle. The fasting householder discards bodily upkeep, such as bath, perfume, garlands and ornaments, and spends time in a sacred place like the abode of a saint, a temple, or earmarked lonely apartment. He spends time listening to or making others listen to the holy discourses and contemplating on the contents of the Scripture, while refraining from all worldly activities ().
Consumable things�upabhoga–a foods, drinks, perfumes, garlands of flowers, and so on, which can be enjoyed only once. Bedspreads, garments, ornaments, beds, chairs, houses, carriages, cars, and so on, are non-consumable things�paribhoga–as these can be enjoyed repeatedly. A limit is placed by the householder on possession of these things of upabhoga and paribhoga; this is called ܱ貹Dz貹Dz貹ṇaٲ.
The householder who desires to avoid gross injury�trasaṃs–must abstain from honey, meat and wine, permanently. He must also renounce things like flowers of �ٲī� and �arjuna�, ginger, radish, etc., which are seats of infinite organisms and are fit to be called infinite-bodied (ԲԳٲⲹ). Very little advantage is derived from these in spite of considerable injury (ṃs) caused. With regard to cars, carriages, ornaments, etc., the householder decides what is desirable and what is not. And thus he renounces the things undesirable for a limited period or for lifetime, according to his capacity.
He who moves from place to place without transgressing his self-control (ṃy) is called the guest (atithi). Or, the guest (atithi) is one who comes on any date without prior intimation. Four things are offered to the guest–food, implements, medicine and shelter. Faultless food must be offered by the householder to the genuine ascetic treading the path to liberation and earnest in practising restraint (ṃy), with a pure heart. Implements, such as the Scripture, which promote right faith, and so on, must be presented to him. Proper medicine must be arranged for. Shelter must also be provided with great devotion.
The term �ca’–‘and’–at the end of the ūٰ is intended to include the householder’s duty mentioned next.