Five Great Vows
(Maha-vratas)
Right knowledge,
right faith, and right conduct are the three most essentials for
attaining liberation.
In order to
acquire these, one must observe the five great vows:
- Non-violence -
Ahimsa
- Truth - Satya
- Non-stealing -
Achaurya or Asteya
- Celibacy/Chastity
- Brahmacharya
- Non-attachment/Non-possession
- Aparigraha
Non-violence
(Ahimsa):
Among these five
vows, non-violence (Ahimsa) is the cardinal principle of Jainism
and hence it is called the highest religious principle, or the
cornerstone of Jainism.
Non-violence is
the supreme religion (Ahimsa parmo dharma)
It is repeatedly
said by all Tirthankaras in Jain literature:
"Do not
injure, abuse, oppress, enslave, insult, torment, torture, or
kill any creature or living being."
According to Jainism
all living beings, irrespective of their size, shape, or
different spiritual developments are equal. No living being has
a right to harm, injure, or kill any other living being,
including animals, insects, and plants. Every living being has a
right to exist and it is necessary to live with every other
living being in perfect harmony and peace.
Nonviolence is
based on love and kindness for all living beings. Nonviolence in
Jainism is not a negative virtue. It is based upon the positive
quality of universal love and compassion. One who is actuated by
this ideal cannot be indifferent to the suffering of others.
Violence of every
type should be completely forbidden. Mental tortures by way of
harsh words, actions, and any type of bodily injuries should
also be avoided. Even thinking evil of some one is considered
violence in Jainism.
Practically, it
is impossible to survive without killing or injuring some of the
smallest living beings. Some lives are killed even when we
breathe, drink water, or eat food. Therefore, Jainism says that
minimum killing of the lowest form of life should be our ideal
for survival.
In the universe,
there are different forms of life, such as, human beings,
animals, insects, plants, bacteria, and even smaller lives which
cannot be seen even through the most powerful microscopes.
Jainism has classified all the living beings according to their
senses as follows:
- five senses -
human, animals, birds, heavenly, hellish beings
- four senses -
flies, bees, etc.
- three senses -
ants, lice, etc.
- two senses -
worms, leaches, etc.
- one sense -
vegetables, water, air, earth, fire etc.
The five sense are,
touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing.
It is more
painful if a life of the higher forms (more than one sense) are
killed. All non-vegetarian food is made by killing a living
being with two or more senses. Therefore, Jainism preaches
strict vegetarianism, and prohibits non-vegetarian foods.
Jainism explains
that violence is not defined by actual harm, for this may be
unintentional. It is the intention to harm, the absence of
compassion, and the ignorance that makes an action violent.
Without violent thought there can be no violent actions.
Non-violence is
to be observed in action, speech, and thought. One should not be
violent, ask others to do so, or approve of such an activity.
Truth (Satya):
Anger, greed, fear,
jokes, etc. are the breeding grounds of untruth. To speak the
truth requires moral courage. Only those who have conquered
greed, fear, anger, jealousy, ego, frivolity, etc., can speak
the truth. Jainism insists that one should not only refrain from
falsehood, but should always speak the truth which should be
wholesome and pleasant.
One should remain
silent if the truth causes pain, hurt, anger, or death of any
living being.
Truth is to be
observed in speech, mind, and deed. One should not utter an
untruth, ask others to do so, or approve of such activities.
Non-stealing (Achaurya
or Asteya):
Stealing consists of
taking another's property without his consent, or by unjust or
immoral methods. Further, one should not take anything which
does not belong to him. It does not entitle one to take away a
thing which may be lying unattended or unclaimed. One should
observe this vow very strictly, and should not touch even a
worthless thing which does not belong to him.
When accepting
alms, help, or aid one should not take more then what is minimum
needed. To take more than one's need is also considered theft in
Jainism.
The vow of
non-stealing insists that one should be totally honest in
action, thought, and speech. One should not steal, ask others to
do so, or approve of such activities.
Celibacy /
Chastity (Brahmacharya):
Total abstinence
from sensual pleasure is called celibacy. Sensual pleasure is an
infatuating force which sets aside all virtues and reason at the
time of indulgence. This vow of controlling sensuality is very
difficult to observe in its subtle form. One may refrain from
physical indulgence but may still think of the pleasures of
sensualism, which is prohibited in Jainism.
Monks are
required to observe this vow strictly and completely. They
should not enjoy sensual pleasures, ask others to do the same,
nor approve of it. There are several rules laid down for
observing this vow for householders.
Non-attachment /
Non-possession (Aparigraha):
Jainism believes
that the more worldly wealth a person possesses, the more he is
likely to commit sin to acquire the possession, and in a long
run he may be more unhappy. The worldly wealth creates
attachments which will continuously result in greed, jealousy,
selfishness, ego, hatred, violence, etc.
Lord Mahavir
has said that wants and desires have no end, and only the sky
is the limit for them.
The Lord directed
monks to lead a life of non-possession (renunciation).
Non-possession or non-acquisition relates with the mind.
Possession is of two kinds: one for things, and the other is
attachment. So the attachment with things is the external
acquisition, and the internal acquisition is attachment. He
classified the persons in 'possession' into four groups. :
- One who has
nothing in possession but has attachment for them, is a
possession lover person.
- One who has
got to carry on with his life and has many possessions but
no attachment for them, is a person of self-restrain.
- One who has
neither attachment nor any possession, is a non-acquisitive
person.
- A man has got
attachment as well as possession is acquisitive.
Attachments to
worldly objects results in the bondage to the cycle of birth and
death. Therefore, one who desires of spiritual liberation should
withdraw from all attachments to pleasing objects of all the
five senses.
Monks observe
this vow by giving up attachments to all things such as:
- Material
things: Wealth, property, grains, house, books, clothes,
etc.
- Relationships:
Father, mother, spouse, sons, daughters, friends, enemies,
other monks, disciples, etc.
- Feelings:
Pleasure and painful feelings towards touch, taste, smell,
sight, and hearing objects. They have the equanimity towards
music and noise, good and bad smells, soft and hard objects
for touch, beautiful and dirty sights, etc.
They do not eat food
for taste but for survival with the intention to destroy his
karma with the help of this body. Non-possession and
non-attachment are to be observed in speech, mind, and deed. One
should not possess, ask others to do so, or approve of such
activities.
Jainism has laid
down and described in much detail these five great vows for the
path of liberation. These are to be observed strictly and
entirely by the monks and nuns. Partial observance is laid down
for the householders with an additional seven vows. |
