his body and his speech (Saṁyama), lest through any act, thought, or word karma should be acquired, and in particular he should guard against taking life in any way.
An ascetic must be careful to speak the truth (Satya), lest any deviation from it should give rise to karma, but he is bound to speak the truth lovingly and in such a way as to hurt no one’s feelings.
There is a manifold duty of purity and cleanliness (Śauċa[1]) binding on all monks, for an ascetic must keep himself free from all suspicion of dishonesty or thieving, and oppose to this the constant giving of alms, and he must also keep his body pure and his soul free from all dark thoughts.
An ascetic must also remember never to look on anything as his own (Akiṁċinatva): he must regard no person as related to him, and no thing as his property.
A monk must strictly observe the duty of celibacy and chastity (Brahmaċarya) in nine specified ways, which are called the Nava Vāḍa or Nine Ramparts, and which we need not trouble to detail. In a passage which throws a most interesting light on an old-world Indian household long before the birth of Christ, one of the Jaina sacred books, the Sūtrakṛitāṅga, describes the fate that awaits a monk who breaks the law, marries and settles down.[2] It recites how he will have to fetch and carry for his wife, bringing her lip-salve, ribbons, combs, looking-glasses, &c.; and how, if a son be born, he will have to hold the baby or hand it to its mother. ‘Thus some supporters of their sons have to carry burdens like camels. Getting up in the night they lull the baby asleep like nurses. . . . This has been done by many men who for the sake of pleasures have stooped so low; they become the equals of slaves, animals, servants, beasts of burden—mere nobodies.’
The five Ċāritra.The inflow of karma is also arrested by observing the Five Rules of Conduct or Ċāritra, which are specially binding on monks and nuns, but should also be observed by the laity.