श्रावक के भ्रष्ट मूलगुण

Summary

The text discusses the fundamental principles (mūlaguṇa) that a śrāvaka (lay Jain follower) must observe. It states that honey, meat, alcohol, and five types of udumbara fruits (banyan, peepal, pākar, kaṭumbar, and bhañjīra) are never to be consumed, even across multiple lifetimes. These items are also not to be given to others with a sense of affection or benefit. The śrāvaka is instructed to mentally refrain from even contemplating such substances. Furthermore, even when another person has become calm or peaceful, one should not harbor any harmful thoughts or faults toward them in the mind. The text emphasizes that these eight mūlaguṇa are essential and without them, the higher or secondary virtues (uttaraguṇa) cannot be established. The passage is drawn from a Jain scriptural source, likely the Bhāvibhāṣya or a related commentary, and underscores the strict dietary and mental disciplines required for a lay practitioner. The rules are absolute, prohibiting consumption, giving, and even mental acceptance of forbidden items across all lifetimes. The text also extends the discipline to interpersonal conduct, forbidding any mental ill-will even toward those who have become peaceful. These foundational vows are presented as non-negotiable prerequisites for progressing to more advanced spiritual practices. The language is prescriptive and categorical, leaving no room for exception or compromise in the observance of these core Jain ethical commitments.