The Doctrine of the Jainas, Described after the Old Sources c10.94

c10.94

§156. Uvav. § 30 III; Sūy. II 2, 72; Thāṇ. 296a f. quote a large number of different methods as to how food may be asked for and taken by a monk. The acceptance of either the one or the other of these methods appertains to the province of asceticism or self-castigation to which we now proceed. Physical asceticism (§ 178) is known to concern, for its greater part, eating and drinking. There are but few methods occurring apart from those quoted in the texts. The *samkha-dattiya* confine themselves to a certain number of ways regarding the reception (*datti*,¹ Vav. 9, 40) of food and drink. Those among them observing the *java-majjhā* and the *vaira-majjhā canda-paḍimā* (Vav. 10, 1; Ṭhāṇ. 64b) follow the example given by the waxing and waning moon. Starting with 1 *datti* on the 1st day of the bright half of the month the former take 1 *d.* more every day for a fortnight’s time proceeding up to 15 *d.* taken on full moon day and then to decrease the *d.* in the same way. In the *vaira-m. c.-p.* the number of *d.* increases during the dark half of the month to decrease during its bright half, so that here the lowest point or the state of contraction fall on full moon, while there it is the highest point or the state of expansion that do so, and hence the names. *paḍimā* in the frequent usage of the word²—as Samav. 96a wants it there are 92 *paḍ.* in all—is explained by *abhigraha*. By Ṭhāṇ 64b; 195a we come to know them as interior (*samāhi-p.*) and exterior (*uvahāṇa-p.*) ones. Other exercises do not proceed from day to day but at a much slower pace. They take 7 times 7, 8 times 8, 9 times 9 or 10 times 10 days and are accordingly called *satta-sattamiyā* etc. *bhikkhupaḍimā* Vav. 9, 31-34; Ṭhāṇ. 385b; 440a; 518b. During the first 7, 8, 9 or 10 days 1 *datti* is taken daily, during the second 2 daily, etc. so that all *d.* sum up to 196, 288, 405 or 650. All these methods already positively concern the quantity and would therefore, come under the *omoyariyā* or the restriction of food. Uvav. § 30 II=Viy. 292a=Vav. 8, 16 here quotes that instead of 32 morsels one takes but 31, 24, 16, 12 or 8, or that either one diminishes each figure by 1. As against that the *aṇasaṇa*, as far as it is only temporary (*ittariya*),³ consists in the dropping of the meals. If one half of the day remains without a meal being taken we have the *egāsaṇa* fasting, and in case it be the first half we have the *purim’addha* (comp. § 161).