Panca Sutram: 1. Anushasana Sutra

Once the disciples were worshiping the acharya (pontiff). They were engrossed in their emotions. To satisfy the emerging queries during their course, they began a wonderful discussion.

Oh Lord! we are initiated for the liberation and for freedom from the bondage of karmas. It is a great  astonishment if in monkhood life also there is bondage / discipline.

 Oh My Child! Tell me clearly keeping in mind the goal of spirituality that which bondage did you see here for a monk who is on the path of self realization?

My Lord! There is discipline and system in a monk’s life. This is purely a bondage for a person who is on the path of self realization.

Oh Mumukshus! where ever there is a social life; system and discipline becomes essential or inevitable.

Even then system and discipline does not become bondage for the monks who are self-disciplined. It becomes bondage only for him who is disciplined or ruled by others.

Oh Lord! Where is the need of discipline for the religious organization, where all the monks are self-disciplined.

/

My Child! I believe that their ultimate goal is to attain self-discipline but it can't be attained in a single moment and all the monks discretion, intellect, thinking, interest, samskaar and retention is also not the same.

My Child! The way staircase is used to climb up, not otherwise, similarly discipline is also required for the growth not otherwise.

The more intense is the winter, the more is the need of clothes and the less intense is the winter, the lesser is the need of clothes.

The more intense is the delusion, the more is the need of discipline. As there is decrease in the delusion, the lesser is the need of discipline.

By practising meditation, time comes when there is complete self-discipline (may be attained). After that state, there is no need of master or acharya imposing discipline.

In  day time, it is understood that there is no need of lamp, but at night there is no need of  light lamp is beyond the understanding.

During the awakening of self-discipline, the external discipline is not required is justified but how can it be accepted that in the absence of self-discipline external discipline is not required.

The imposed discipline of master or Acharya reduce when the purity in the sacred self-discipline awakens.

A self disciplined monk experiences freedom in discipline as a lotus in the pond remains unaffected of water.

Here the example of Shri Kalugani is well quotable. He was so self–disciplined that external discipline decreased on its own. Shree Kalugani, the eighth Acharya in the hierarchy of terapanth was in a monk position. He might be 12 to13 years older then. One monk came to the 5th Acharya Magawagani and said, ‘Monk Kalu is lazy in pratilekhana.“ I don’t agree with this, replied Acharya Maghwa. He does pratilekhana better than you because he always stay with me. I have witnessed him several times.” The monk who had the complain, went back with a great guilt. It is said that he was such a self-disciplined that he never got scolding / deviated in his life.

Oh Lord! The disciple who do not follow the discipline of  his master or guru how can he be considered as modest?

Guru looks forward for the growth of self-discipline on his disciples. He never wishes his disciples to be always motivated by others.

Acharya said, as the fisherman catches all the fishes in the net, I likewise, the guru does not bind the disciples in the bondage but render freedom like the birds allows their chicks to fly in the air on their own. Similarly guru tries to make his disciples independent.

Acharya takes care of  his disciples like birds feed their babies by putting the food or prey in their beak.

In spite of extending his hand / support to disciples, guru does not make them lame. On the contrary he inspires them in such a way that the disciple can walk on his own.

The disciple asked, Oh Lord! In earlier period people were not educated, so discipline was required, but today’s generation is educated, then why is the need for discipline?

Acharya replied, few facts are eternal and few are contemporary, but it is universal truth that every beginning begins with external discipline.

It is a scientific fact that the achievement of the purpose is possible only by self-discipline so oh Disciple! I wish your love for discipline shall become stronger and stronger  with each day or shall glow day by day.

Undisciplined persons always get into trouble and disciplined persons progress. So accept the discipline of guru and go ahead in the path of self-discipline.

The one who wants freedom from the very beginning, he cannot become free throughout his life and then, one who wishes to be disciplined in the beginning, he enjoys freedom for ever.

Disciples are kept under discipline unless and until they are not self-disciplined and take the help of other for their development. This is the purpose of discipline.

Muni should carry on the entire life style, journey, stay, education and all the other work should be done according to discipline of Acharya.

The person who bears the load of intellect, he is incapable for dedication and without dedication discipline can’t be humbly accepted.

The disciple who does not accept his guru in his heart has neither dedication towards guru nor voluntarily an inner acceptance of his discipline.

The guru who doesn’t accept his disciple in his heart, has neither hearty affection nor inner acceptance of Discipline.

Where there is combination of (vinaya) humbleness of the disciple and affection of the guru prevails, there exist the deeper dedication.

Only where there is deeper dedication, there only hearty inner discipline exists and where there is inner hearty discipline, there increases the glory of the religious order.