Jain Ethics – Twelve Vows of the Layperson, Part 2 of 2

6. “Limited Area of Activity Vow ‘This vow limits one's worldly activities to certain areas in all the ten directions; north, south, east, west, north-east, north-west, south-east, south-west, above and below.’”

7. “Limited Use of Consumable/ Non-consumable Items Vow ‘Generally, one commits the sin by one's use or enjoyment of consumable and non-consumable things.’”

8. “Avoidance of Purposeless Sins Vow ‘One must not commit unnecessary or purposeless sin or moral offense as defined below: Thinking, talking, or preaching evil or ill of others.’”

9. “Limited Meditation Vow ‘Meditation of the soul and its relationship with nature is known as Samayik. By giving up affection and aversion, observing equanimity in all objects, thinking evil of no one, and being at peace with the world, one should practice this vow of meditation.’”

10. “Limited Duration of Activity Vow ‘This vow sets the new limit within the limitations already set by Dik Vrata and Bhoga-Upbhoga Vrata.’”

11. “Limited Ascetic's Life Vow ‘This vow requires one to live the life of a monk for a day. During this time, one should retire to a secluded place, renounce all sinful activities, abstain from seeking pleasure from all objects of the senses, observe due restraint of body, speech and mind.’”

12. “Limited Charity Vow ‘One should give food, clothes, medicine, and other articles of its own possession to monks, nuns, and a pious person. The food should be pure and prepared with reverence.’”

“In the final days of life, a householder observes peaceful death. The householder can attain a peaceful death if he truly follows the above twelve vows. The peaceful death is characterized by non-attachment to the worldly objects and by a suppression of the passions at the time of death. The last thought should be of a calm renunciation of the body, and this thought should ever be present long before death supervenes.”

“If one goes deeper into the rules as they are laid down, he will find that the practice of limiting the number of things to be kept or enjoyed by himself eliminates the danger of a concentration of wealth at one point, which will help to minimize poverty and crime in the society. Thus, limiting the desires of individuals results in an ideal society.”