Answer

In Jain Dharma, during Pratikraman, a person reflects on faults committed knowingly or unknowingly and renews the resolve to live with greater awareness, non-violence, restraint, and purity.

The vows remembered in Pratikraman are mainly connected with the duties of a layperson, especially the 12 vows of a Shravak/Shravika.

The 12 Vows Recalled in Pratikraman

1. Five Anuvrats — Small Vows

These are the layperson’s limited form of the great vows followed fully by monks and nuns.

• Ahimsa Anuvrat — To avoid intentional violence and reduce harm to all living beings.
• Satya Anuvrat — To avoid false, harmful, or deceitful speech.
• Achaurya / Asteya Anuvrat — To avoid stealing or taking what is not willingly given.
• Brahmacharya Anuvrat — To observe faithfulness and restraint in sensual pleasures.
• Aparigraha Anuvrat — To limit possessions, desires, attachment, and greed.

2. Three Gunavrats — Strengthening Vows

These vows strengthen and support the five Anuvrats.

• Digvrat — To limit movement and activity within chosen directions or boundaries, reducing harm and worldly involvement.
• Bhogopabhog Pariman Vrat — To limit consumable and usable objects, such as food, clothing, comforts, and luxuries.
• Anarthadand Viraman Vrat — To avoid purposeless sinful activities, such as careless speech, unnecessary violence, harmful habits, or encouraging wrongdoing.

3. Four Shikshavrats — Disciplinary Vows

These vows train the layperson toward deeper spiritual discipline.

• Samayik Vrat — To practice equanimity for a fixed time, remaining calm, detached, and spiritually focused.
• Desavakasik Vrat — To further restrict movement and activities for a limited time.
• Poshadh / Paushadh Vrat — To live temporarily like a monk or nun by observing greater restraint, fasting, scriptural study, and spiritual practice.
• Atithi Samvibhag Vrat — To offer pure food and necessities respectfully to monks, nuns, or worthy recipients, with devotion and humility.

Other Important Resolutions in Pratikraman

During Pratikraman, one also repents for faults related to:

• Himsa — violence or harm to living beings
• Asatya — falsehood
• Chori — stealing
• Abrahma — lack of sensual restraint
• Parigraha — attachment and possessiveness
• Krodh — anger
• Maan — pride
• Maya — deceit
• Lobh — greed
• Rag-Dwesh — attachment and aversion

Spiritual Understanding

Pratikraman is not merely a ritual. It is a process of:

• Alochana — admitting one’s faults
• Pratikraman — turning back from wrong conduct
• Pratyakhyan — resolving not to repeat the fault
• Kshamapana — asking forgiveness from all living beings

The inner feeling is:

“Micchami Dukkadam” — If I have hurt any living being through mind, speech, or body, knowingly or unknowingly, may that wrongdoing become fruitless; I sincerely seek forgiveness.

Takeaway

The vows in Pratikraman help a Jain layperson examine daily life, reduce karmic bondage, strengthen self-discipline, and move gradually toward purity of soul, compassion, and liberation.