mahavrata

The mahavratas, or five “great vows,” are undertaken for life only by ascetics and include vows of noninjury, abstention from lying and stealing, chastity, and renunciation of all possessions.

…the five “great vows” (mahavratas) of Jain ascetics. While Parshvanatha allowed monks to wear an upper and lower garment, Mahavira gave up on clothing altogether. According to tradition, the two sets of views were reconciled by a disciple of each of the Tirthankaras, with the followers of Parshvanatha accepting…

…observing the great vows (mahavrata), ahimsa entails the greatest care to prevent the ascetic from knowingly or unknowingly being the cause of injury to any living soul (jiva); thus, ahimsa applies not only to human beings and to large animals but also to insects, plants, and microbes. The interruption…