The three Silavratas

Next three limiting vows may be adopted by a person according to his individual capacity and circumstances with the intent to adopt them. These are called as “Silavrata” or minor vows and are Dik-vrata, Bhoga upabhoga vrata and Anarthapdanda virmana vrata as explained below:

1. Dik-vrata:

[Limited area of activity vow limiting the directions and distances]:

It limits one’s worldly activities to certain areas in all ten directions, and gives up committing sins in any place outside this limited area. Exceeding the limits set in the directions, namely upwards, downwards and horizontally, enlarging the boundaries in the accepted directions, and forgetting the boundaries set are the five transgressions of the minor vow of direction^[1]. Asking someone staying outside the country of one’s resolve to bring something from there, commanding someone there to do something, indicating one’s intentions by sounds, by showing oneself, and by throwing clod are the five transgressions of the minor vow to abstain from activities beyond a country^[2].

2. Bhoga upabhoga vrata:

[Limited use of consumable and non-consumable items -luxuries and unnecessary items]:

Bhoga includes enjoyment of perishable items which can”t be used again. Upabhoga means enjoyment of an object, which can be used several times such as furniture, clothes, ornaments and buildings. One should use all these limited to his need and capacity only. Taking food containing (one-sensed) organisms, placed near organisms and mixed with organisms, stimulants and ill-cooked, are the five transgressions of vow to limit consumbales and non-consumbales^[3].

3. Anarthapdanda virmana vrata:

[Avoidance of purposeless sins vow]:

It limits activities which include thinking, talking, carrying out activities without any purpose and not in favour of anybody, preaching evil or ill of others, doing useless acts like walking on grass unnecessarily, manufacturing or supplying arms for attack, reading or listening to obscene literature or carelessness in ordinary behaviour. Vulgar jokes, vulgar jokes accompanied by gesticulation, garrulity, unthinkingly indulging in too much action, keeping more than required consumable and non-consumable objects, are the five transgressions of the vow of desisting from unnecessary sin^[4].

This restriction is of four types as under (The words in brackets are in original Prakrt language):

a. Apadhyanacarit (avajjhāṇāyariye): Doing artadhyana and raudradhyana without any reason. It includes day-dreaming, telling bad stories and gossiping.

b. Pramadacarit (pamāyāyariye): Stuporous behaviour with lots of addictions, desires and carelessness.

c. Hinstrapradan (hiṃsappayāṇe): To give weapons or literature related to violence to others is also anarth-danda.

d. Papakarmopadesh (pāvakammovaese): To advise and motivate others for unwholesome activities.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

ūrdhvādhastirya gvyatikramaḥkṣetra vṛddhismṛtyantarādhānāni | Tattvartha-sutra 7.30

[2]:

ānayana preṣya prayoga śavdarupānupāta pudgalakṣepāḥ | Tattvartha-sutra 7.27

[3]:

sacitta sambandhasaṃmiśrābhiṣavaduḥ pakvāhārāḥ | Tattvartha-sutra 7.27

[4]:

kandarpakautkucya maukharyāsamīkṣyādhikaraṇopabhoga paribhogānarthakyāni | T.S. 7.32