To lead
a life according to the ideals and norms of Jainisim is
ritual of Jainisim. A life which means being in right knowledge
, right Vision and right conduct is Jainism. It is only
through right knowledge and right Karam that one can get
'Moksh'. So It is the right rituals performed , which can
kill our bad karams and show us the path of 'Moksh'.
'Ritual' is also known as 'Dharam'. In Jainisim 'Rituals'
are divided into two parts 'Anagar' and Agaar.
Anagar
- a complete independence from home, family, materialistic
things, love, affection, leisure, etc., complete devotion
on the path of Moksh is Anagar dharam- the one followed
by Sadhus and Sadhvis.
In this
ritual or Dharam there are five
Mahavarts of Sadhus (meaning very big fasts)
(1)
Ahinsa (Pranatipat Varat)- A Sadhu should not give
any harm to any other person by his speech, by his actions
or even by thoughts. In other words - Complete non - voilence
is one of the major Mahavarat which a Sadhu has to follow.
(2)
Truth (Mrishavaad varat) - Second Mahavarat of Sadhu
is to always follow the path of truth. He has to be truthful
by heart and by soul, in his speech and in his conduct.
He even has to see that no one else tells a lie for him
i.e. not to say and not let to say lie.
(3)
Non-Stealing (Achorya or Adhmadaan Varat) - A Sadhu
does not, by any means, steals any thing nor lets anybody
steal for him. He is absolutely against stealing from deep
within and preaches the lesson of non - stealing to his
followers.
(4)
Bhramcharya (Maithun Varat) - A Sadhu has to follow
a path of purity in thoughts, actions and speech. He has
to be a bhramcharya and remain like that throughout his
life span. He also inspires others to follow the path of
bhramchraya. No female is allowed to come near a sadhu or
a real sadhu does not allow any female to come near him.
If a female wants to ask something from sadhu she has to
ask it from a distance and in the presence of everybody,
not alone.
(5)
Non-Attachment (Parigrah Varat) - A Sadhu should
not have any attachment with his family or relatives. He
has to become totally detached form worldly relations. There
is no father for Him and no mother for him, no sister and
no brother. He teaches his disciples not to remain attached
with their homes.
These
are the five major or big rituals a Sadhu has to perform
according to Jain Philosophy.
Some special Rules to be observed
by the Jaina Sanits (Sadhus).
¢
A Jaina muni does not warm his body with fire even through
the wheather may be severely cold. Similarly during the
summer months he does not provide himself with the cooling
effects of air set on motion through a fan.
¢ The Jaina Saints do not drink water at night even
though their throats be parched with thirst during the hot
summer.
¢ They do not take alcohol or any other intoxicating
food or drink.
¢ They never take their food in the houses of the house
holders and in the latter's utensils.
¢ They accept food and water, by begging, in untensils
made up of wood or in earthen pots. They,in, fact fo not
keep any utensils made up of steel or of any other metal
with them.They take clothes too by begging and only then
when they need them. A jaina sadhu can not accept food,
in begging, from a person who has touched raw water, fire,
raw vegetables and the like. He also can not accept food
from a woman who may be breast feeding her baby or from
a women who may be pregnant or from any person who feels
pain in sitting and getting up.
¢ They do not accept any gift from anybody of money
(currency).
¢ Except for a period of four months of the rainy season
when a jaina monk stays at one place he goes on moving from
one place to the other, conveniently during the rest of
the 8 months of the year not staying more than a period
of 29 days at any given place.
¢ The jaina munis do not make use of any mode of conveyance.
They do not use any shoes, sandals, boots, chappals socks
or any other kind of footwear. They do not use even an umbrella
to save themselves from the trouble of scorching heat for
the sun and from that of rain.
¢ The jaina monks do not touch a female human body
even if that be of a baby. Similarly the jaina nuns do not
touch the body of any male human being even through he might
be an infant. Thus, they observe complete continence (brahmacaryapalana).
¢ The jaina monks (as well as nuns) do not cut their
hair or shave with the help of scissors or a blade. They
pick and pull all their hair of the head as well as beared
and mousraches one by one with their own habds. This activity
among the jainas is known as 'Locan Kriya' (the activity
of hair-pulling)'which is a must for everyone of the monks
and nun atleast once a yeasr before the feswtival of the
new year.
¢ The jaina munis keep with them a dusting broom (Rajoharana)
for the protection of the living beings. The Digambara jaina
monks keep with them the feathers of percocks for the purpose.
The Sthanakvasi and the Terapanthi monks tie a piece pf
cloth (mukhavastrika) over their mouths (so that the small
germs or living beings are not hurt by them through the
process of breathing or speaking etc.) The image worshipping
(murtipujaka) Svetambara jain monks keep their mukhavastrika
in their hands.
¢ No Jaina muni (or sadhvi) keeps with himself (or
herself) any money (whether in small currency or notes)
or ornaments etc.