Samaiya is a very important ritual practice in Jaina religion. The monk should have equanimity and should avoid all sinful acts. Samaiya is the first siksa-vrata and the third pratima. At the same time it is one of the six avasyakas. The term samaiya- was first used in the history of Mahavira with reference to a restraint (samjama) undertaken by Mahavira when he renouced the world; there it involved nothing less than the abandonment of all sinful acts. Additionary Kundakunda's Niyamasara mentions the Samaiya-samjama, as do the Avassa Nijjutti and Mulacara VII.
