301. (Acaryas) indeed call him Sravaka (householder) who, having attained spiti tual awakening and the like, listens to the superb values of conduct daily from the saints.

 

302 The person whose comprehension has become clear through spiritual awake. ning and who abandons all the (seven kinds of) vicious habits along with the consumption of five Udambara fruits (some fruits with living organisms), (he) has been styled ‘Sravaka (householder) endowed with spiritual awakening.

 

303. Gambling, drinking, hunting, harshness in speech, callousness in punishment. malpractices in monetary matters, and coital contact with woman (or man) other than one’s own wife (or husband)-all these seven have been said to be vicious habits,

 

304. By eating meat, self-conceit aggravates; by reason of self-conceit, the person desires drink, then, he induleges in gambling. And, then, he absorbs the above-mentioned other vices too.

 

305. In the popular literature it has been said that because of eating meat even the learned persons who move in the sky by means of supernormal powers, fell on the ground (and became devoid of supernormal powers). Nobody. therefore, should use meat.

 

306. Owing to drinking man becomes without any self-control and commits rep- rehensible actions. Consequently, he experiences endless suffering in this life and the next.

 

307 By him in whose mind there exists devotion to the Jina (spiritually victorious). which (devotion) has been procreated through detachment from the world, which is the procreated of detachment from the world, which is devoid of the sting of worldly purpose, which is unwavering like the Meru mountain and which is steady, no anxiety is experienced (by him) in the world

 

308. Since even the enemy of an humble-natured man gradually develops amity with him, humbleness through mind, body and speech should be practised by the householder.

 

309. Abstention from the killing of beings, from falsehood, from unlimited desire. from taking (things) without their having been given (by the owner) and abstention from possessing another man’s wife (or from possessing another woman’s husband)-all these are (five) Anuvratas (partial vows).

 

310. The person whose mind is vitiated by anger, greed, deceit, etc. (he having been under their dominance) should neither restrain animals, man, etc., nor strike them, nor overload them, nor cause injury to their bodily parts, nor stop their food and water.

 

311. Abstention from ordinary falsehood is second (Anuvrata). That admits of five kinds, namely, abstention from falsehood regarding one’s own daughter, animal and land, abstention from the taking away of entrusted money and from bearing false witness-(these are the five kinds of abstention from falsehood),

 

312. The person should eschew these, namely, the tendency of unthoughtfully attributing false charges, the action of fake writing, impetuously disclosing the secret will of one’s own wife (or of one’s own husband), and the association of those who are the instructors of unethical modes of life.

 

313. One should avoid litigation, shun the business of counterfeit things, avoid false balance and false measures. (One should also avoid) things fetched for one’s own self through thieving along with one’s contact with the thief, and also avoid that sovereignty which is hostile to one’s own country.

 

314. One should abstain from sexual association with the married woman (or man) and with unmarried woman (or man) along with all other licentious women (or man) and also abstain from all kinds of amorous play. One should also avoid the activity of other person’s marriage (without having any obligation to do so) along with the desire for lustfulness.

 

315, persons should keep away from the unlimited possession  which is born of endless desires, which is fraught with many evils and which is the road to hellish existence.

 

316. The person whose mind has really become unsullied should not commit the transgression of the limit of field etc., gold etc, two legged animals etc. and of any metal (but silver and gold) more when

 

317. The person should be content with the limited acquisition (which has been voluntarily accepted). We should not think in this way that at this time a little limit of acquisition has been accepted and we shall have r the need arises,

 

318. That which is refrainment from (unlimited movement in) any direction region  (Disavirati), that which is refrainment from wanton activity (Anarthadand avirati), that which is refrainment from going to some region (Desavakasika) all of them are styled ‘Gunavratas’ (vows of withdrawal).

 

319. The setting of limits in the upward, downward and horizontal directions has been proclaimed to be the first Gunavrata (vow of withdrawal) (known as Disavirati). This has been certainly included by Lord Mahavira in the householder’s way of life.

 

320. In the region where there is present the cause of the breach of vows, when the refrainment from resorting to that region is practised as a rule, then, that (refrainment) has been proclaimed to be (Desavakasika) Gunavrata (vow of withdrawal).

 

321. To refrain from wanton activity (Anarthadanda) is the third Gunavrata (vow of withdrawal). That (wanton activity) is of four kinds, namely, harboring ill-reflection, perpetrating random actions, delivering instruments of violence to others and imparting evil instructions-(to refrain from these is the third Gunavrata (vow of withdrawal).

 

322. Because of (the presence of) (good) objective (in performing an action), the person does not bind (inauspicious Karmas). (since) in the (presence of) (good) objective, time, situation etc. are the controllers of mind. And because of the absence of (good) objective, the person binds (inauspicious karmas) due to mental depravity which may be either less or more, (since) in the absence of (good) objective time, situation, etc. are not the controllers of mind and (there remains unbridledness of mind).

 

323 In the avoidance of wanton activity, the person avoids lustful emotion, amorous behaviour, prattling, instruments associated with violence, and things of use obtained in excess of need.

 

324. Keeping limited things of use, pursuing self-meditation, observing fast in a specific way and offering food etc. to a non-householder guest who observes self-restraint and propagates ethico-spiritual values-all these have been proclaimed to be Siksavratas (vows of pursuance).

 

325. From the perspective of things of use what has been said is this that the avoidance of vegetables having infinite lives along with the five Udambara fruits, should be effected. Besides, other things of use should be limited. And from the perspective of business transactions it has been said that the avoidance of such work as is causing injury to many lives, should also be effected.

 

326. In order to refrain from unethical actions Samayika (self-meditation) alone is paramount. In this way having recognised Samayika (self-meditation) at supreme among all the ethical activities of the householder, the wise person should remain occupied with his own ethico-spiritual unfoldment for realising the highest (state of life). 

 

 327. On having performed Samayika (self-meditation) the householder really becomes like a saint, he should, therefore, perform Samayika (self-meditation) repeatedly.

 

328, If the householder who has begun to perform Samayika (self-meditation). keeps in mind certain anxieties, then, since he has been ocupied with an enslaved and perturbed mental condition, his performance of Samayika (self-meditation) is of no consequence.

 

329. That is Potadha (in which) the renouncement of food and bodily embellishment (is effected) partially or completely and (in which) the non-performance of householder’s business and (the study of) spiritual values (for comprehending the significance of equanimity) (are effected) partially or completely Besides, in the end of the Posadha this Samayika (self-meditation) is performed as a rule.

 

330 When the systematic offering of food which is pure, fit to be consumed and which is associated with region and season is made to saints, then, (that systematic offering) has been proclaimed to be householder’s Siksavrata (vow of pursuance) (known as Atithisamvibhaga vow).

 

331. The gift is regarded as of four kinds. The division of which lies in food, medicine, books (scriptures) and fearlessness. The gift of these should be offered. This has been so described in the Upasakadhyayana (book of householder’s life).

 

332. On understanding well (the difference between deserving recipients), even if the offering of mere food is made to persons without the distinction of deserving and non-deserving recepients, then also the householder becomes praiseworthy. (Only in offering food) what is the use of inquiring into this distinction?

 

333. Oh I where even a little thing fit to be consumed by the saint has not been offered to him, there the virtuous householders who are steadfast in conduct and who are the pursurers of the law of Jina (spiritual victor) do not cousume food.

 

334. The householder who partakes of food which has been leftover after the Munis have consumed food experience successively, as has been proclaimed by the Jina (spiritually victorious), the valuable pleasures of the world and the excellent beatitude born of final release.

 

335. The gift of fearlessness in which protection is always accorded to all the Jivas (beings) is the crest-jewel of all the gifts. Know this.