The Perfect Law

RIGHT CONDUCT.

A right believer, who has fully realised the true and real nature of his own soul, and is bent upon getting rid of the karmic filth which is in bondage with his soul, tries to follow Right Conduct. His main object in doing so, is to be free from attachment and aversion, and from all impure thought-activities and to attain the condition of equanimity.

Practical right conduct consists in observing the following five vows:—
(a) Non-violence Sanskrit: Ahimsa ... refraining from doing injury.
(b) Truthfulness Sanskrit: Satya ... refraining from falsehood.
(c) Non-stealing Sanskrit: Asteya ... refraining from theft.
(d) Chastity Sanskrit: Brahmacharya ... Purity.
(e) Non-attachment Sanskrit: Aparigraha ... Non-possession or non-attachment.

This practical right conduct can be observed either partially or fully. Laymen observe it partially, while those who observe it fully are saints. Partial observance is merely a stepping stone to the conduct of a saint, without following which it is not possible to advance spiritually and to ultimately liberate the soul from karmic bondage.

A layman is required to follow the seven supplementary vows also, as they are helpful in the proper observance of the first five.

Out of these seven, the following three are called Multiplicative vows Sanskrit: Gunavratas because they raise the value of the five vows manifold.

Vow of Limited Direction Sanskrit: Dig-Vrata, a life-long vow to limit worldly activities to fixed points in all the 10 directions: North, South, East, West, North-east, North-west, South-east, South-west, above and below.

Vow of Limited Area Sanskrit: Desha-Vrata, a vow to limit worldly activity for a fixed period “only.”

Vow against Purposeless Sin Sanskrit: Anartha-Danda Vrata. Taking a vow not to commit purposeless sin. It is of five kinds:—
(a) Evil Meditation Sanskrit: Apa-Dhyana, thinking ill of others.
(b) Evil Instruction Sanskrit: Papodesha, Preaching evil of others.
(c) Careless Conduct Sanskrit: Pramada-charya. Inconsiderate conduct, such as uselessly breaking the boughs of trees.
(d) Supplying Weapons Sanskrit: Himsa-dan, preparing or supplying instruments of attack.
(e) Harmful Listening Sanskrit: Dushruti, Reading or listening to improper literature.