In Silappadikaram, a Tamizh Classic, there is description
of a Jain monk who accompanies the main characters (Kovalan and Kannagi) to the
city of Madurai. He is said to have minimum possessions to take with him, namely
a begging bowl, a peacock feather and one other item called aiyagai (ஐயகை). I looked up the last item and the great scholar who resurrected this classic, Sri Swaminatha Iyer says that the word aiyagai refers to the Pancha mantra of the Jains. In Tamizh, they are: அ,ஸி,ஆ,உ,ஸா. So I looked up the Pancha mantra and it is referred to in
the Jain literature as The Namokar Mantra.
Here it is, the Namokar Mantra from JAINA, the website for
the Federation of Jain Associations in North America. (https://www.jaina.org/page/NamokarMantra)
Namo Siddhanam - I bow in reverence to Siddhas
Namo Ayariyanam - I bow in reverence to Acharyas
Namo Uvajjhayanam - I bow in reverence to Upadhyayas
Namo Loye Savva Sahunam - I bow in reverence to all
Sadhus
Eso Panch Namoyaro - This five-fold
salutation
Savva Pavappanasano - Destroys all sins
Mangalanam Cha Savvesim - And amongst all auspicious things
This part is followed by a section on definitions of Arhat,
Siddha, Acharya, Upadhyaya and Sadhu according to Jainism. At the end, there is
a description of the five major vows of a sadhu or sadhvi, as follows:
“When householders become detached from the worldly aspects
of life and get the desire for spiritual uplift (and not worldly uplift), they
give up their worldly lives and become sadhus (monk) or sadhvis (nun). A male
person is called sadhu, and a female person is called sadhvi. At the time of
Deeksha, the sadhu or sadhvi voluntarily accepts to obey following five major
vows for the rest of his/her life:
1. Commitment of Total Ahimsa (non-violence)-not to
commit any type of violence.
2. Commitment of Total Satya (truth)-not to indulge in
any type of lie or falsehood.
3. Commitment of Total Asteya (non-stealing)-not to
take anything unless it is given.
4. Commitment of Total Brahmacharya (celibacy)-not to
indulge in any sensual activities
5. Commitment of Total Aparigraha (non-possessiveness)-not
to acquire more than what is needed to maintain day to day life.”
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