Charitracharna Ath Prakar

This document, titled "Charitracharna Ath Prakar" (Eight Types of Conduct) by Punyavijay, is an excerpt from a Jain text focusing on the fundamental principles of Jain monastic conduct. It outlines the "Eight Prakar" or "Eight Mothers of Preaching," which are essential for spiritual progress and are explained as the foundation of righteous conduct.

The eight principles are divided into two main categories: Five Samitis (Summonings/Careful Conduct) and Three Guptis (Restraints).

The Five Samitis are:

1. Iryasamiti (Careful Movement): This emphasizes moving with utmost caution, especially after sunrise and before sunset. It involves carefully observing the ground for four hands (a measure of distance) in all directions to protect stationary beings (like plants and water) and mobile beings (like insects). This includes examining the path, the time of movement, and the means of movement, all guided by knowledge and the teachings of the Jinas. Movement must be done with a clear understanding of the situation, at an appropriate time (daylight), on a proper path, and with careful attention to substance, area, time, and mental state. This caution extends to all actions, not just walking.

2. Bhasha Samiti (Careful Speech): This refers to speaking words that are beneficial to all beings, free from faults, and measured. It advises against speaking based on pride, deceit, greed, humor, fear, garrulousness, and gossip. Speech should be for the sake of dharma.

3. Eshana Samiti (Careful Alms-Seeking): This involves procuring necessities for spiritual practice like food, water, robes, and utensils, free from the three defects of origin, production, and seeking. It means obtaining pure and blameless provisions for sustenance.

4. Adana Nikshepa Samiti (Careful Handling of Objects): This involves inspecting and cleaning objects like the broom (rajoharan), robes, bowls, mats, etc., before picking them up or putting them down.

5. Parishthapanika Samiti (Careful Disposal): This refers to disposing of bodily wastes like urine and feces in a place that has been carefully inspected and is free from living beings. This is also known as Vyutsarga Samiti. An example is given of a monk who, due to being engrossed in helping others, forgot to inspect his resting place and later suffered discomfort, highlighting the importance of this samiti.

The Three Guptis are:

The Guptis are generally defined as restraining the three instruments – mind, speech, and body – according to scriptural guidelines, based on right faith and right knowledge.

1. Mano Gupti (Restraint of the Mind): This involves renouncing all forms of imaginative thinking and dwelling in the self. It means controlling skillful and unskillful thoughts. Skillful thoughts lead to spiritual progress, while unskillful ones lead to entanglement in the cycle of birth and death. When the mind is completely free from all mental activities, it is considered the highest form of Mano Gupti.

2. Vachana Gupti (Restraint of Speech): This is the complete cessation of speech, even when engaged in activities like studying scriptures, questioning, or answering. In other words, it means remaining silent and not uttering a single word.

3. Kaya Gupti (Restraint of the Body): This involves controlling bodily movements during activities like sleeping, sitting, placing objects, walking, and coming.

The text further elaborates on the three Guptis with specific sub-categories:

• Mano Gupti is divided into:

  • Renouncing illusory thoughts associated with intense meditation on negative subjects (akushala nivrutti).
  • Engaging in meditation conducive to the afterlife and dharma (dharma dhyana, shukla dhyana).
  • Complete cessation of all activities and dwelling in the self during the state of disease (roga nirodha), aiming for the destruction of all karma.

• Vachana Gupti is divided into:

  • Maintaining silence and renouncing all gestures that indicate meaning (like head movements, eye contact, hand signals).
  • Controlling speech by covering the mouth with a cloth while speaking for scriptural study or questioning. This implies both complete silence and controlled, meaningful speech.

• Kaya Gupti is divided into:

  • Stillness of the body even during hardships or disturbances, or the absolute stillness of a Kevali (omniscient being) when all activities cease.
  • Controlling bodily movements as prescribed in scriptures for sleeping, sitting, placing, receiving, and walking.

An illustrative story is provided about a monk who remained standing all night with one leg on the ground to avoid harming any living beings, demonstrating extreme dedication to Kaya Gupti.

The text then emphasizes the relationship between Samitis and Guptis, stating that one who is endowed with Samitis is necessarily endowed with Guptis, but the reverse is not always true. It also highlights that Guptis are essentially contained within the Samitis.

The eight principles are collectively called the "Eight Mothers of Preaching" because they are instrumental in the birth, sustenance, and purification of conduct (charitra), which is considered the very body of a monk.

The document also touches upon the Twelve Vows (Dvadasa Vratas), differentiating between their Vyavahar (Conventional) and Nischay (Ultimate) aspects.

• Vyavahar Vratas describe the outward practice and adherence to the vows.
• Nischay Vratas delve into the deeper intention, detachment, and renunciation of internal inclinations and karmic causes.

For example:

• Ahimsa (Non-violence): Vyavahar is not harming other living beings. Nischay is understanding that the soul binds itself to suffering through violence and renouncing that tendency.
• Satya (Truthfulness): Vyavahar is refraining from socially condemned false speech. Nischay is understanding the true nature of soul and non-soul (animate and inanimate) and not misrepresenting it, or falsely claiming non-soul objects as one's own.
• Asteya (Non-stealing): Vyavahar is not taking what is not given. Nischay is renouncing the desire for wealth and worldly possessions, and also not desiring the subtle karmic matter.
• Brahmacharya (Chastity): Vyavahar is renouncing external sensual objects, including women for monks. Nischay is renouncing the desire, possessiveness, and craving for sensual objects internally.
• Aparigraha (Non-possession): Vyavahar is limiting possessions. Nischay is renouncing internal attachments like passion, aversion, ignorance, and karmic matter.

The text concludes by stating that both Vyavahar and Nischay are valid and complementary. Vyavahar is the means, and Nischay is the ultimate goal. Without Vyavahar, Nischay cannot be realized, and without Nischay, Vyavahar is incomplete. They are both essential for spiritual liberation.