Mahavrata
Encyclopedia
The Mahavratas are the five great vows Jain monk
s observe. They are:
The vows for the Jain monks, as prescribed by the ancient texts like Acharanga, are quite strict, and have come down to our time from the teachings of Lord Mahavira
.
Jain monks are celibate, possess no property and are not attached to any specific place. They are thus required to wander, except for the four months during the rainy season (called chaturmasa). For lay
Jains, who obviously marry and possess property, there is a corresponding set of five vows termed Anuvratas.
Jain muni
Jain Muni or simply Muni is the term often used for monks and nuns in Jainism.. They are often called sadhus and sadhvis, respectively, in the Svetambara traditions.-Monastic ranks:...
s observe. They are:
- AhimsaAhimsa in JainismAhiṃsā in Jainism is a fundamental principle forming the cornerstone of its ethics and doctrine. The term "ahimsa" means “non-violence”, “non-injury” or absence of desire to harm any life forms. Vegetarianism and other non-violent practices and rituals of Jains flow from the principle of Ahiṃsā...
(NonviolenceNonviolenceNonviolence has two meanings. It can refer, first, to a general philosophy of abstention from violence because of moral or religious principle It can refer to the behaviour of people using nonviolent action Nonviolence has two (closely related) meanings. (1) It can refer, first, to a general...
) - SatyaSatyaSatya is a Sanskrit word that loosely translates into English as "truth" or "correct". It is a term of power due to its purity and meaning and has become the emblem of many peaceful social movements, particularly those centered on social justice, environmentalism and vegetarianism.Sathya is also...
(Truth) - AsteyaAsteyaAsteya is a Sanskrit word meaning "avoidance of stealing" or "non-stealing". In Jainism, it is one of the five vows that all Śrāvakas and Śrāvikās as well as monastics must take....
(Non-stealing) - BrahmacharyaBrahmacharyaBrahmacharya is one of the four stages of life in an age-based social system as laid out in the Manu Smrti and later Classical Sanskrit texts in Hinduism. It refers to an educational period of 14–20 years which starts before the age of puberty. During this time the traditional vedic sciences are...
(Chastity) - AparigrahaAparigrahaAparigraha is the concept of non-possessiveness, being both a Jain concept and a part of the Raja Yoga or Ashtanga Yoga traditions. The term usually means to limit possessions to what is necessary or important, which changes with the time period, though sadhus would not have any possessions.It is...
(Non-possession/Non-attachment)
The vows for the Jain monks, as prescribed by the ancient texts like Acharanga, are quite strict, and have come down to our time from the teachings of Lord Mahavira
Mahavira
Mahāvīra is the name most commonly used to refer to the Indian sage Vardhamāna who established what are today considered to be the central tenets of Jainism. According to Jain tradition, he was the 24th and the last Tirthankara. In Tamil, he is referred to as Arukaṉ or Arukadevan...
.
Jain monks are celibate, possess no property and are not attached to any specific place. They are thus required to wander, except for the four months during the rainy season (called chaturmasa). For lay
Laity
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
Jains, who obviously marry and possess property, there is a corresponding set of five vows termed Anuvratas.