Jain monks don’t take annual baths: In ancient times in our India it was customary to end the household life and take banaprastha and sannyas according to Chaturashram practice. Although these practices later disappeared, there are still communities in different parts of the world who live their ascetic life through strict austerities. They are actually Jain people. There are basically two branches of Jainism, one is Digambara and the other is Shwetambara. The Jain Monks of these two branches of Jainism live a life of strict discipline after initiation. Know about some special rules they follow in this difficult life.
1) The clothing of Jain monks is only a thin cotton cloth. These sadhus keep a very thin blanket to wear in winter. But the Digambara saints do not wear any clothes throughout the year even in extreme cold.
2) Jain monks never like to kill living beings. And this is why they never bathe throughout the year. Because they believe that bathing will kill all kinds of germs in the body, that is, animals will be killed by them. Also they always cover their mouth with a cloth so that no germs can enter the body through the mouth.
3) In the life of rigorous austerity, very little time is allotted to the saints for sleep. Sannyasins of both branches of Jainism sleep on the ground in all seasons. They do not use any kind of bed. Sometimes they use mats for sleeping and sometimes dry grass is also used for sleeping.
4) The Jain Monks of this sect analyze their bathing differently in terms of knowledge. According to them there are two types of bathing. external and internal. Common people bathe externally with water. Jain monks perform internal bathing through sadhana, i.e. purifying the body and mind. For them this bath is a purification of their emotions.
5) To keep their body clean and fresh, Jain saints wipe their body with a wet cloth every few days.
6) Jain monks and nuns live in monasteries adjacent to Jain temples. They follow strict rules by keeping away all the consumables from life. They provide their own modest food and shelter. No passion or desire for any consumptive object can touch their life.
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