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CHAPTER VII
CONSIDERATIONS AFFECTING PENANCE
1-Kala (Time) Considerations of time, place and local conditions influence the determination of penance.
Kāla, that is, time, has been divided into three classes, namely, the rainy season, winter and summer. In all the three kālas it is permissible to award serere, mild and middling forms of tapa The serere tapa for the rainy season is five continuous fasts; that in winter is a four days' fast, and in summer a three days' fast at a stretch
The middling tapa consists of four continuous fasts in the rainy season, three in winter, and to in summer.
The mild form of tapa signifies three days' continuous fasting in the rainy season, two days' in winter, and one day's in summer
In all these fastings it is understood that only one meal is to be taken on the day preceding the commencement of the fast and on that on ruch it is broken
