Three Kinds of Votary

Three Kinds of Votary
There are three kinds of votary22:

(1)Inclined votary (Pākṣika)

(2)Pledged votary (Naiṣthika)

(3)Aspirant or Last-ritualising votary (Sādhaka)

These three kinds are based on inclination, vowal observance and aspiration for holy death ritual. The term ‘Pakṣa’ (inclination) means to observe the eight basic primary virtues or restraints, to renounce seven addictions etc. and to develop inclination towards real Gods, Religion and Preceptors.

The term ‘Vowal observance’ (Caryā) means to accept and practice the model stages of renunciation after handing over the household responsibilities to children so that sins accming due to domestic and occupational violence are alleviated. The term ‘aspiration’ (Sādhanā) means to undertake the ritual of holy death at the last time of life while observing the eleventh model stage.

Inclined Votary (Paksika)
The inclined votary is the individual who has undertaken the vows of renouncing five sins like violence etc. grossly and who observes the practices of the duties and vows of votary as described in scriptures. The inclined votary is also called the beginner or partially restrained votary.

Pledged Votary (Naisthika)
The pledged votary is the individual who follows the eleven model stages of renunciation gradually due to the increasing destruction-cum-subsidence of passions improving the partial restraint.

Aspirant Votary (Sādhaka)
The aspirant votary is the individual who has completed the practice of partial restraint and who undertakes the process of holy death while engaging himself in meditating upon the soul / pure self. This votary is also called completely partially restrained one.

Eight Primary Virtues or Restraints of the Inclined Votary (Mulagunas)
It is stated that the householder votary should, first of all, renounce eating and drinking of (1) alcohol, (2) meat, (3) honey, and (4-8) five udumbara fruits (Pīpala, Gulara, Kathumara, Baṛa & Pākara) while having faith in the Jina sermons. It is said that a person earns sin of burning more than seven villages if he eats even a single drop of honey. Similarly, the alcohol and meat are clearly the stations of harming the living beings. They are the treasury of sins. Many kinds of mobile beings with two or more cognitive senses are always found in the Udumbara fruits. Hence, it is always beneficial to renounce these items.

Alternative Description of Eight Primary Virtues
Some texts have admitted the following eight primary virtues as mentioned in Sāgāra- dharmāmṛta, verse 1823 in place of the above ones : (1-3) Renunciation of alcohol, meat-eating and honey.

(4)Renunciation of eating five Udumbara fruits.

(5)Renunciation of night-eating.

(6)Bowings and Sacred visit to the five Supreme souls (Parameṣthīs).

(7)Compassion towards the living beings.

(8)Drinking of cloth-filtered water.

Eight Primary Virtues According to Svāmī Samanta-bhadra
According to Svāmi Samanta-bhadra, there are the following eight primary virtues24: (1-3) Renunciation of alcohol, meat-eating and honey. (4-8) Observation of five partial vows. Amṛtacandra Sūri has stated that the use of alcohol, meat-eating, honey and five udumbara fruits is carrier of suffering and sins. The persons with clear intelligence, who renounce these things, are worthy of listening to the Jina sermons.25 Pandit Aṡādhara has also elaborated this point: “The votary who renounces the alcoholic drinking etc. for the whole life becomes pure by intellect. He gets refined through sacred-threading (Yajnopavīta), becomes doubly-bom and worthy of listening to the Jina religion.26” The text of Sāgāra-dharmāmṛta (Essence of Householder’s Duties) states that the inclined votary should offer Jina-worship, award donations and study scriptures.

Eleven Model Stages of the Pledged Votary
The pledged votary develops better aureoles (Leṡyās) while observing eleven model stages gradually depending upon the degree of obscurement of partial renunciation of passions.27

Aspirant or Last-ritualising Votary
The pledged votary, at the stage of eleventh model stage, becomes the last-ritualising or aspirant votary.28

Fifty three Activities of Votaries
Rayaṇasāra29 verse 137 has stated that there are fifty three activities of the votaries as follows:

(1-8) Observance of eight primary virtues.

(9-20) Twelve vows.

(21-32) Twelve austerities : 6 external and 6 internal austerities.

(33) Equanimity Practice.

(34-44) Eleven model stages of renunciation.

(45-48) Four kinds of Donations.

(49)	Use of cloth filtered water.

(50)	Renunciation of night-eating.

(51-53) Right faith, knowledge and conduct.