Savayapannatti (Shravaka-prajnapti)

by Bhartiya Jnanapith

Composed in Prakrit in 401 gathas (verses) by the 8th century Jaina Acharya Haribhadra Suri, Savaypanatti (Shravaka-prajnapti) is a manual on shravakachara or the course of moral discipline to be followed by householders/lay adherents based on Acharya Gridhrapiccha alias Umaswami’s Tattvartha Sutra. A shravaka is a person equipped with samyak darshana or the right faith who hears from a Jaina saint or ascetic rules of shravakadharma or the discipline prescribed for a lay adherent.

The author of the present volume has referred to the extraordinary qualities that a householder or lay adherent acquires on hearing this code of moral conduct, which is said to consist of twelve vows. Both the Digamabara and Shwetamabara traditions of Jainism fully agree that only by observing the required vratas or vows can a person endowed with samyak darshana be called shravaka. Of the twelve vows to be observed by him, five anuvratas or minor vows are prominent. These are ahimsa or non-injury to living beings, satya or truthfulness achaurya or non-stealing, brahmacharya or celibacy, aparigraha or limiting one’s worldly possessions.

There are variations in the classification of fundamental and elemental qualities under the code of conduct prescribed for a lay adherent. Whereas among eight types of fundamental qualities (observing five anuvratas or abstinence from five fruits like udumbara ( fruit of fig tree etc.) etc and from wine, meat, and honey) prominence has been given to abstaining from wine, meat and honey, consumption of roots and bulbs and vegetables is also forbidden in order to adhere to the vow of non-violence. This work is regarded as particularly useful in studying different traditions of ethical conduct in Jainism.

This book is in Sanskrit with Hindi Translation.