Introduction to Jainism and its Culture

SR No.: 001605
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Balbhadra Jain
Publisher: Kundkund Gyanpith Indore
Publication Year: 2002
Total Pages: 334
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Religion, & Culture
File Size: 21 MB

Page 81

Two-letter mantra: (a) Aum Hrīm. (b) Siddha. (c) Asi.
One letter mantras: (a) Aum. (b) Om. (c) Om. (d) A. (e) Si.
Procedure of Chanting: Chanting is of three types -- mental, vocal, and physical. To chant mentally is called mental chanting. To read mantra loudly is called vocal chanting. To read mantra just with lip movement and without uttering a sound is called physical chanting.
Chanting should be done facing east or north as far as possible. While chanting one should preferably dress in white, yellow or red colour clothes. A straw mattress is considered best for sitting. One should not use blanket, bed, leather, or cane mattress. For counting one can use fingers or cotton, clove, crystal, pearl or gold-bead rosary. Purity of attitude is a necessary requirement while chanting.
GOD, PRECEPTOR, AND CANON
Every religion recognizes god, preceptor, and canon. Religions, other than Jainism, believing in a creator God, have their own independent concepts of God. That God creates, maintains and destroys the universe; favours the good and punishes the evil; and is allpowerful. Attachment and aversion inspire all these acts. He who favours good people ought to have attachment for the good and he who punishes evil will certainly have aversion or anger for the evil. Therefore, such God cannot be detached (Vitarāga) irrespective of the fact that he is embodied or incorporeal, trait-less Brahma or an. emanation having traits. How can an entity having attachment and aversion be considered God? He who is infested with lust, anger, fondness, greed, attachment, aversion, and other vices is a simple worldly being not God. The purpose of religious practices is to remove these vices. Man indulges in religious conduct in order to be rid of these ailments of the soul. A person who is free of these vices is called a sage. On the other hand a person believed to be God acquires these vices, has relationship with women, fights war, kills men, weeps and laughs, and displays all human weaknesses and spiritual shortcomings. He appears to be just an ordinary human being not even a sage. It sounds strange that he is still accepted as God.