Satwa Bhogopabhoga Pariman Vrat - Book Summary

Here is a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Satwa Bhogopabhoga Pariman Vrat" by Ajaysagar, based on the provided PDF pages:

The book "Satwa Bhogopabhoga Pariman Vrat" by Ajaysagar outlines the principles and practices of the seventh vow in Jainism, which is about limiting consumption and usage of worldly possessions and sensual pleasures. The text emphasizes the importance of self-restraint and mindfulness in daily life to minimize harm to living beings and to progress spiritually.

Core Principles of the Vow:

The vow involves making specific commitments to limit one's consumption and engagement with various items and activities. The core commitments are:

Renunciation of 22 Forbidden Items (Abhakshya) and Infinite-Bodied (Anantakaya) Items: The devotee is asked to renounce the 22 forbidden items and any items from the Anantakaya category that they choose to define.
Limiting Consumption of Fruits, Vegetables, and Vegetation: A pledge is made not to consume more than a specified amount of fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based items.
Adherence to Fourteen Rules (Chaudah Niyam): The devotee undertakes to follow fourteen specific rules governing various aspects of life.
Mindfulness in Illness and Medication (Jayanā-dravya): Special care and mindfulness are to be exercised when taking medicines or dealing with illness.
Renunciation of Karma-Adans (Karmādān): The devotee identifies and renounces specific types of occupations or activities that involve harm to living beings.

Detailed Breakdown of Key Sections:

1. The 22 Forbidden Items (22 Abhakshya): The text lists 22 categories of forbidden items that a Jain practitioner should ideally avoid. These include:

Meat (1)
Alcohol (2)
Butter (excluding that made from buttermilk) (3)
Ice (4)
Hailstones (5)
Raw Soil (6)
Night meals (with limitations on days per month) (7)
Fruits like figs with many seeds and poppy seeds (8)
Pickles (Achar/Athāne) except for Murabba and Chhanda (9)
Hard grains like chickpeas eaten with raw yogurt (10)
Inferior fruits like Bor, Pilu, Nimboli, Sitaphal (11)
Fermented or spoiled juices (Chalita Ras) and sweets that have been stored for longer than stipulated periods in different seasons (12)
Poisons like Somal, Opium, etc. (13)
Stale food such as rotis, puris, sweet semolina, lapsi, malpua (14)
Eggplant (15)
Unknown fruits (16)
Fruits of Peepal, Pippali, Banyan, Gular, and Udumber trees (17-21)
Anantakaya items (22)

2. Anantakaya (Infinite-Bodied Items): This category refers to vegetables and roots that have a very large number of subtle lives within them. The text lists several examples that can be renounced: potato, onion, garlic, sweet potato, carrot, giloy, tender leaves, tender tamarind, fresh turmeric, ginger, thar, kunvarpata, bhumi sphotak, suran, radish, shatavari, etc. The devotee is meant to specify which of these they are renouncing.

3. Karma-Adans (Karma-Ādāna - Harmful Occupations/Activities): The vow also includes renouncing certain occupations or activities that cause harm. The devotee is meant to specify which ones they are renouncing from the following list:

Pottery and roasting of grains (Angar Karma) (1)
Activities involving forest products like green leaves, flowers, wood, and fruits (Van Karma) (2)
Manufacturing of carts, plows, etc. (Shakat Karma) (3)
Hiring out bullock carts (Bhaatak Karma) (4)
Construction of wells, ponds, tunnels, etc. (Sphotak Karma) (5)
Trade in elephant tusks (Dant Vanijya) (6)
Trade in lac and gum (Laksha Vanijya) (7)
Trade in ghee, jaggery, etc. (Ras Vanijya) (8)
Trade in poisons like opium, somal, etc. (Vish Vanijya) (9)
Trade in wool, feathers, hair, etc. (Kesh Vanijya) (10)
Operating mills, looms, grinding stones, oil presses, etc. (Vastra Pīlan Karma) (11)
Castration, mutilation of body parts like nose and ears (Nilanchhan Karma) (12)
Setting fire to forests, etc. (Dhavdhan Karma) (13)
Draining ponds and lakes (Jal Shoshan Karya) (14)
Nurturing dogs, cats, parrots, or unchaste individuals (Asati Poshan) (15)

4. The Fourteen Rules (Chaudah Niyam): These are specific daily rules that can be adopted either daily or for life. They are designed to limit sensory engagement and material possessions. The rules are:

Sacheet (Living Items): Limiting consumption of freshly grown items, raw water, salt, green vegetables, betel leaves, and tooth sticks to a certain quantity (e.g., not more than 15).
Dravya (Substances): Limiting the variety of tastes consumed in a day to a certain number (e.g., not more than 40), excluding Sacheet and Vigai items.
Vigai (Modified Items): Renouncing one type of Vigai (milk, yogurt, ghee, oil, jaggery, and items fried in ghee/oil or cooked in ghee like lapsi). This can also include a commitment to not consume these items after a certain period (e.g., after two nights for curd and buttermilk).
Upanaah (Footwear): Limiting the purchase of footwear (shoes, sandals, socks, etc.) to a certain number (e.g., not more than 5) and exercising mindfulness during purchase.
Tambol (Betel Nut Preparations): Limiting the consumption of betel leaves, areca nuts, cardamom, cloves, etc. (used as mouth fresheners) to a certain quantity (e.g., not more than 100).
Vastra (Clothing): Limiting the number of clothes to wear and cover with (e.g., not more than 30), and exercising mindfulness during purchase and for religious purposes.
Kusum (Fragrant Items): Limiting the quantity of fragrant items like ghee, oil, scents, and attars used for smelling (e.g., not more than 20 kg), and avoiding smelling entire containers.
Vaahan (Vehicles): Limiting the use or ownership of vehicles like trains, cars, bullock carts, airplanes, etc., to a certain number (e.g., not more than 10).
Shayan (Sleeping Arrangements): Limiting the number of beds, mattresses, rugs, etc. (e.g., not more than 50).
Vilepan (Body Applications): Limiting the quantity of substances applied to the body like oil, perfume, soap, vaseline, etc. (e.g., not more than 1 kg).
Brahmacharya (Celibacy): Practicing celibacy during the day and following a specific vow for nights (e.g., 5 days, 12 days, or a certain number of days per month). This also includes renouncing extramarital relations.
Disha (Directions): Setting limits on travel in all directions (North, South, East, West, Up, Down, and intermediate directions) to a certain distance (e.g., not more than 1000 km).
Snaan (Bathing): Limiting the number of times one bathes the entire body with water (e.g., not more than 5 times).
Aahar-Paani (Food and Water): Estimating and limiting the total weight of food and water consumed (e.g., not more than 15 kg).

Additional Rules for Consideration:

The text also suggests further rules related to the five elements and living beings:

Prithvi-kaaya (Earth Element): Limiting the consumption and use of earth-related items like soil, salt, lime, kohl, soap, stones, papad, salts, etc. (e.g., not more than 20 kg), and exercising mindfulness in household tasks involving earth.
Aap-kaaya (Water Element): Limiting the use of water for drinking and other purposes (e.g., not more than 15 buckets), considering its subtle lives.
Teu-kaaya (Fire Element): Limiting the use of fire-related items like electric stoves, gas stoves, furnaces, electric lights, fans, switches, batteries, radios, etc. (e.g., 10 household stoves, 20 switches).
Vayu-kaaya (Air Element): Limiting the use of fans, air conditioners, vacuum cleaners, swings, etc. (e.g., not more than 15 fans).
Vanaspatikaya (Vegetation): Limiting the quantity of plant-based items, either by number or weight (e.g., not more than 30 in number or 20 kg).
Tress-kaaya (Mobile Living Beings): The intention should not be to kill moving beings.
- Asikarma (Weapons/Sharp Objects): Limiting the number of sharp objects like swords, guns, knives, scissors, needles, etc. (e.g., not more than 30).
- Masikarma (Writing Instruments): Limiting the number of ink bottles, pens, pencils, chalks, etc. (e.g., not more than 20).
- Krishikarma (Agricultural Tools): Limiting the number of agricultural tools like plows, spades, hoes, etc. (e.g., not more than 20).

The text also emphasizes reflecting on the benefits of reducing consumption and observing these rules. Specific additional renunciations are mentioned, such as cauliflower, cabbage, radish leaves, curd and buttermilk preparations after two nights, eight months of vegetable renunciation, mangoes after Ardra nakshatra, dates and kharik after Falgun 15, and all types of dry fruits after Ashadh 15 (though freshly removed almond kernels are allowed).

Five Transgressions (Atichar) Related to Food: The text also outlines five transgressions that a householder should avoid concerning food:

Sacheet (Unintentionally consuming renounced root vegetables etc.): This occurs when one unknowingly consumes items previously renounced, like root vegetables, or items that involve the killing of mobile lives.
Sacheet Sambandhit (Related to Living Items): Consuming items that have a connection to living things, such as the seeds (gutli) in fruits like dates and mangoes.
Apakva Aahar (Uncooked Food): Consuming food that has not been cooked with fire.
Dushpakva (Half-cooked Food): Consuming vegetation or fruits that are partially cooked and partially raw.
Tuchh Aahar (Insubstantial Food): Consuming vegetation or fruits where the edible portion is small, and the discarded portion is large, such as Sitaphal.

The book concludes by stressing the importance of practicing these vows with mindfulness and a sincere desire for spiritual progress.