The Ascetic (Sādhu) keeps with him a feather-whisk (picchī) – implement of compassion, a water-pot (kamaņdalu) – implement of purity, and scriptural treatise (śāstra) – implement of knowledge.
In Jainism, those śrāvakas (householders) who wish to attain moksha (liberation) renounce all possessions and become an ascetic. According to the Jain text, Dravyasamgraha:
Salutation to the Ascetic (Sādhu) abound in faith and knowledge, who incessantly practises pure conduct that surely leads to liberation. — Dravyasaṃgraha (54)
1 Mūla Guņas (Root virtues)
1.1 Mahavratas 1.2 Fivefold regulation of activities 1.3 Strict control on five senses 1.4 Six Essential Duties 1.5 Seven rules or restrictions (niyama)
2 Dharma 3 Twenty-two afflictions 4 External austerities 5 Āchārya 6 Omniscience 7 See also 8 Notes 9 References 10 Sources
Mūla Guņas (Root virtues)
Abstaining from the commitment of five kinds of sins (injury,
falsehood, stealing, unchastity, and attachment) by way of doing these
by oneself, causing these to be done, and approval when done by
others, through the three kinds of activity (of body, speech, and
thought), constitutes the great vows (mahāvrata) of celebrated
The first vow of a
Kŗita- He shouldn't commit any act of himsa (injury) himself. Karita- He shouldn't ask anyone else to do it for him. Anumodana- He shouldn't, in any way, encourage commission of an act of himsa by saying or doing anything subsequent to the act.
The monk shouldn't injure any living being both in actions and thoughts.
A digambara monk must not say things which, though true, can lead to injury to living beings.
3. Asteya (Non-thieving)
Not to take anything if not given. According to the Jain text, Tattvārthasūtra, 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 quarrelling with brother monks.
Renunciation of worldly things and foreign natures, external and internal Fivefold regulation of activities
6. irya samiti
A digambara monk doesn't move about in the dark, nor on grass, but only along a path which is much trodden by foot. While moving, he has to observe the ground in front of him, to the extent of four cubits (2 yards), so as to avoid treading over any living being. This samiti (control) is transgressed by:
not being careful enough in looking at the ground in front, and sight-seeing along the route.
7. bhasha samiti
Not to criticise anyone or speak bad words.
The observance of the highest degree of purity in the taking of food is eshana samiti. The food should be free from four kinds of afflictions to tarasa jīva (living beings possessing two or more senses), viz
pain or trouble, cutting, piercing etc., distress, or mental suffering, and destruction or killing,
To be careful in lifting and laying down things.
To dispose of the body waste at a place free from living beings. Strict control on five senses
This means renouncing all things which appeals to the mind through the senses. This means shedding all attachment and aversion towards the sense-objects pertaining to touch (sparśana), taste (rasana), smell (ghrāņa), sight (chakşu), and hearing (śrotra). Six Essential Duties
Main article: Samayika The monk is required to spend about six gharis (a ghari = 24 minutes) three times a day, that is, morning, noon, and evening, in practising equanimous dispassion.
Worship of the four and twenty Tirthankaras
To pay obeisances to siddhas, arihantas and acharya
Self-censure, repentance; to drive oneself away from the multitude of karmas, virtuous or wicked, done in the past.
20. Pratikhayan- Renunciation 21. Kayotsarga
Giving up attachment to the body and meditate on soul. (Posture: rigid and immobile, with arms held stiffly down, knees straight, and toes directly forward) Seven rules or restrictions (niyama)
Not to use tooth powder to clean teeth
To rest only on earth or wooden pallet.
Non-bathing- A digambara monk doesn't take bath. In his book
Champat Rai Jain
The saint is not allowed to bathe. For that will be fixing his attention on the body. There is no question of dirt or untidiness. He has no time to think of bathing or of cleaning his teeth. He has to prepare himself for the greatest contest in his career, namely, the struggle against Death, and cannot afford to waste his time and opportunity in attending to the beautification and embellishment of his outward person. Nay, he knows fully that death appears only in the form of the physical person which is a compound and, as such, liable by nature to dissolution and disintegration.
Taking food in a steady, standing posture.
The monk consume food & water once in a day. He accepts pure food free from forty-six faults (doşa), thirty-two obstructions (antarāya), and fourteen contaminations (maladoşa).[note 1]
To pluck hair on the head and face by hand.
To renounce clothes. Dharma According to Jain texts, the dharma (conduct) of a monk is tenfold, comprising ten excellencies or virtues.
Forbearance: The absence of defilement such as anger in the ascetic, who goes out for food for preserving the body, when he meets with insolent words, ridicule or derision, disgrace, bodily torment and so on from vicious people. Modesty (humility): Absence of arrogance or egotism on account of high birth, rank and so on. Straightforwardness: Behaviour free from crookedness. Purity: Freedom from greed. Truth: Using chaste words in the presence of noble persons. Self-restraint: Desisting from injury to life-principles and sensual pleasures while engaged in careful activity. Supreme austerity: Undergoing penance in order to destroy the accumulated karmas is austerity. Austerity is of twelve kinds. Gift- Giving or bestowing knowledge etc. appropriate to saints. Non-attachment: giving up adornment of the body and the thought ‘this is mine’. Perfect celibacy: It consists in not recalling pleasure enjoyed previously, not listening to stories of sexual passion (renouncing erotic literature), and renouncing bedding and seats used by women.
The word ‘perfect’ or ‘supreme’ is added to every one of the terms in order to indicate the avoidance of temporal objectives. Twenty-two afflictions Jain texts list down twenty-two hardships (parīşaha jaya) that should be endured by an ascetic who wish to attain moksha (liberation). These are required to be endured without any anguish.
kşudhā – hunger; trişā – thirst; śīta – cold; uşņa – heat; dañśamaśaka – insect-bite; nāgnya – nakedness; arati – displeasure; strī – disturbance due to feminine attraction;[note 2] caryā – discomfort arising from roaming; nişadhyā – discomfort of postures; śayyā – uncomfortable couch; ākrośa – scolding, insult; vadha – assault, injury; yācanā – determination not to beg for favours; alābha – lack of gain; not getting food for several days in several homes; roga – illness; traņasparśa – pain inflicted by blades of grass; mala – dirt of the body; satkāra-puraskāra – (absence of) reverence and honour; prajñā – (conceit of) learning; ajñāna – despair or uneasiness arising from failure to acquire knowledge; adarśana – disbelief due to delay in the fruition of meritorious deeds.
According to the Jain text, Sarvārthasiddhi, "Affliction is what
occurs by chance. Mortification is self-imposed. These are called
external, because these are dependent on external things and these are
seen by others."
Several Jain texts including
'Fasting' to promote self-control and discipline, destruction of
'Diminished diet' is intended to develop vigilance in self-control,
suppression of evils, contentment and study with ease.
Āchārya Main article: Acharya (Jainism)
Acharya Vidyasagar, a prominent
Āchārya means the Chief Preceptor or the Head. Āchārya has thirty-six primary attributes (mūla guņa) consisting in:
Twelve kinds of austerities (tapas); Ten virtues (dasa-lakşaņa dharma); Five kinds of observances in regard to faith, knowledge, conduct, austerities, and power. These are:
Darśanācāra- Believing that the pure Self is the only object belonging to the self and all other objects, including the karmic matter (dravya karma and no-karma) are alien; further, believing in the six substances (dravyas), seven Realities (tattvas) and veneration of Jina, Teachers, and the Scripture, is the observance in regard to faith (darśanā). Jñānācāra- Reckoning that the pure Self has no delusion, is distinct from attachment and aversion, knowledge itself, and sticking to this notion always is the observance in regard to knowledge (jñānā). Cāritrācāra- Being free from attachment etc. is right conduct which gets obstructed by passions. In view of this, getting always engrossed in the pure Self, free from all corrupting dispositions, is the observance in regard to conduct (cāritrā). Tapācāra- Performance of different kinds of austerities is essential to spiritual advancement. Performance of penances with due control of senses and desires constitutes the observance in regard to austerities (tapā). Vīryācāra- Carrying out the above-mentioned four observances with full vigour and intensity, without digression and concealment of true strength, constitutes the observance in regard to power (vīryā).
Six essential duties (Şadāvaśyaka); and Gupti- Controlling the threefold activity of:
the body; the organ of speech; and the mind.
Omniscience According to Jain texts, when omniscience is obtained, a monk is said to be rid of the necessity to discharge excrement, and thus no longer carries the gourd which was necessary till then. The remaining accouterments of the saintly life, namely, the feather-whisk and sacred books, are also not required by the Omniscient Being, as He does not sit or tread on the ground, and as His physical body itself become characterised by many auspicious and wonderful marks. See also
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Ethics of Jainism List of Digambar Jain ascetics
^ A digambara monk's food intake is also explained as:
Gochari. This signifies that like a cow does not concern herself with tho beauty, ornaments, richness of apparel, and the like of the person who comes to feed her; similar is the conduct of a monk. Analogy of a bee’s action. As the bee gathers honey without damaging any of the flowers from which it extracts it, in the same way the saint takes his food without causing injury or inconvenience to any of the givers. Filling tho pit. As people fill a pit without regard to the beauty or ugliness of tho material with which it is to be filled, in the same way the saint should look upon his stomach which is to be filled regardless of the consideration that the food is not toothsome.
^ Prof. S.A. Jain in his English translation of the Jain text, Sarvarthasiddhi writes:
In the presence of lovely, intoxicated women in the bloom of youth, the ascetic residing in lonely bowers, houses, etc. is free from agitation or excitement, even though he is disturbed by them. Similarly, he subdues agitations of his senses and his mind like the tortoise covered by his shell. And the smile, charming talk, amorous glances and laughter, lustful slow movement of women and the arrows of Cupid have no effect on him. This must be understood as the conquest of the disturbance caused by women.
^ a b Jain 2013, p. 197. ^ a b c Jain 2013, p. 196. ^ B.K. Jain 2013, p. 62. ^ C.R. Jain 1926, p. 19. ^ B.K. Jain 2013, p. 31. ^ a b Zimmer 1953, p. 210. ^ C.R. Jain 1926, p. 26. ^ C.R. Jain 1926, p. 28. ^ Jain 2011, p. 95. ^ C.R. Jain 1926, p. 29. ^ Jain 1926, p. 26. ^ Jain 2013, p. 55. ^ C.R. Jain 1926, p. 62. ^ a b Jain 2013, p. 125. ^ a b c C.R. Jain 1926, p. 37. ^ Jain 2012, p. 143. ^ Jain 2012, p. 191. ^ C.R. Jain 1926, p. 45. ^ C.R. Jain 1926, p. 49. ^ Jain 2012, p. 156. ^ S.A. Jain 1992, p. 252-256. ^ S.A. Jain 1992, p. 252. ^ S.A. Jain 1992, p. 263. ^ Jain 2013, p. 133. ^ Jain 2013, p. 189-191. ^ Jain 2013, p. 190.
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