Jain sadhu / sadhvi ke 5 Mahāvrat (महाव्रत) ye hain:

1. अहिंसा महाव्रत (Ahimsā Mahāvrat)

- Kisi bhi jiv ko मन, वचन, काय (soch, bol, sharir) se चोट na पहुँचाना. - Sadhu ke liye isme koi “chhuti” (exception) nahi hoti – sabhi jivon ke prati sarvottam dayā aur samyam.

1. सत्य महाव्रत (Satya Mahāvrat)

- Hamesha satya bolna, aur aisa satya jo kisi ko dukh, hani ya klesh na de. - Jhooth, chugli, kathor vachon se bachna. Chup rehna bhi satya-rakshan ka hissa ho sakta hai.

1. अचौर्य / अस्तेय महाव्रत (Achaurya / Asteya Mahāvrat)

- Jo vastu saf-saf roop se di na gayi ho, use lena chori hai – ye poori tarah tyag. - Sirf wahi cheez lena jo maryada ke anusaar, shraddha se di gayi ho.

1. ब्रह्मचर्य महाव्रत (Brahmacharya Mahāvrat)

- Sampoorna indriya–niyantran aur kam-vikār ka tyag. - Sharirik, manasik, aur vachan se sampoorna brahmacharya. - Digambar aur Shwetambar dono paramparaon me sadhu–sadhvi ke liye yeh atyant kathor aur keindriya vrat hai.

1. अपरिग्रह महाव्रत (Aparigraha Mahāvrat)

- Sampatti, vastra, upkaran, sambandh, maan–sadmaan, pratishta adi sab mein mamta aur moh ka tyag. - Sadhu ke liye jeevan bahut saral aur alpa–aavashyaktaon se yukt hota hai. - Digambar sadhu ke nirdvandva/निर्वस्त्र rehna bhi gahan aparigraha aur brahmacharya ka pradarshan mana jata hai; Shwetambar sadhu–sadhvi maryada–anusaar nirdharit vastra rakhte hain, par antar-hriday se parigraha-tyag hi mool hai.

Mukhya baat: Yeh 5 mahāvrat, shravak ke anuvrat ka bahut hi kathor aur pūrṇa roop hain. Sadhu–sadhvi apni puri diksha–jivan yatra inhi 5 mahāvraton ke sahare moksha–marg par chalne ke liye rakhte hain.