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RULES FOR YATIS.
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cure a meal stay there, if there is but one female in the house, or in any of the above-mentioned cases; only when there are five persons together may he remain ; but these may be either householders or ascetics. If the place where he stands is open to the street, and to public inspection, he may stay.
14. Ascetics are not to dine or take any article of food without first obtaining leave of the superior. The reason is that he knows their constitution, and what they require best. They are to address him respectfully, saying, “We wish to dine if it be your pleasure, otherwise we will abstain from doing so."
15. No one is to dine while the body is bedewed with water. Water is apt to lodge in the lines of the hands, about the points of the nails, the eyebrows, and the upper and lower lips; the body to be perfectly dried before partaking of a meal.
16. The imperfectly enlightened ascetic* must be on his guard, and carefully look that he do not come in contact with any of the eight small things -small animals, small flowers of mosses and
* Chhadmastha, he who has not yet arrived at perfect knowledge; to the omniscient sage such attention is quite unnecessary. He knows without being on the watch.
