Here is the core Jain guidance you asked for, kept simple and true to Jain texts.

Five Great Vows (Mahavratas) for monks/nuns (and the same principle for lay followers in simplified form as Anuvratas)

• Ahimsa (Non-violence): Do no harm in thought, speech, or action to any living being.
• Satya (Truth): Speak truthfully, without causing harm; avoid falsehood.
• Asteya (Non-stealing): Do not take anything that is not freely given.
• Brahmacharya (Celibacy/Chastity): For laypeople, faithfulness to one’s partner; for ascetics, complete celibacy.
• Aparigraha (Non-possession/Non-attachment): Limit possessions and cravings; live simply.

Arth (meaning) in plain Jain terms:

• These vows are the foundation for purifying the soul by stopping harm, falsehood, theft, sexual misconduct, and attachment. They guide both householders and ascetics toward right conduct and liberation. (Source overview: Jain Knowledge discussions on the Mahavratas and related vows.)

Twelve Vows for Laypersons (Anuvratas)

• The five main Anuvratas (weaker forms of the Mahavratas):

1) Ahiṃsā Anuvrata 2) Satya Anuvrata 3) Adattadanaviramana (Asteya) Anuvrata 4) Maithunaviramana (Brahmacharya) Anuvrata 5) Parigrahaviramana (Aparigraha) Anuvrata

• The three Gunavratas (merit-enhancing vows):

6) Digvrata (limiting movement) 7) Bhogopabhoga Parimana (limiting enjoyment/usage) 8) Anartha-danda Vrata (avoiding purposeless activities)

• The four Shiksha Vratas (disciplinary/discipline-instruction vows):

9) Samayika Vrata (periodic meditation) 10) Desavakasika Vrata (limited activity in space/time) 11) Paushadha Vrata (periodic renunciation) 12) Atithi Samvibhaga Vrata (sharing with ascetics and the needy)

Arth (meaning) in plain Jain terms:

• These twelve vows give laypeople a practical path to live dharma in family life: they structure gentler conduct (non-violence, truth, non-stealing, chastity, non-attachment), regulate actions and pleasures, and promote spiritual discipline (meditation, restraint, and generosity). They are designed to curb harm and purify desire while remaining within ordinary life.

Notes on texts and tradition

• The five Mahavrats and the lay Anuvratas are described in Jain scriptures and commentaries; their practical forms and subdivisions (like the 12 Anuvratas) are commonly taught in Jain educational material and traditional summaries.
• There can be small naming variations (e.g., Pranatipataviramana, Mrsavadaviramana, Adattadanaviramana, Maithunaviramana, Parigrahaviramana) depending on the source, but the meanings align with the same five core vows.

You can read concise explanations and lists of these vows in Jain Knowledge resources:

• What are the 12 Anuvratas?
• Twelve Vows Of Layperson (structure and details).
• What is Renunciation (context for Mahavrats and ascetic life).

If you want, I can present the exact Sanskrit terms and provide brief, authentic Jain glosses for each vow.