Prof. Dr. Sohan Raj Tater
To achieve mokṣa we need the right knowledge, right faith and right conduct known as three jewels in Jainism. Regarding right conduct, we must achieve control over our inner desires and reach a stage where there is no attachment or hatred. It is not a easy as it sounds, for this one has to form new habits and discard old habits. In order to change our habits, we take vows which help us to restrict what we do and eventually live naturally restrained. Although different people take different vows and despite the outer differences in the observance of these vows, the goal of all is to attain right conduct. As we find in the scriptures there are different vows for monks and nuns and for male and female house holders.
When one makes a resolution to restrain willfully from something with full understanding and faith then that resolution becomes a vow. The scriptures have divided these vows into two main groups:
- Mahāvratas (Major vows or absolute vows),
- Anuvratas (Minor vows or relative vows).
Doctoral Thesis, JVBU