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SWASTIK:
Swastik comes from the Sanskrit word Swastik meaning well-being. The design of the Swastik is intended to point out the aim of salvation. Drawing the Swastik in rice rather than in other grains is significant. The reason is that other grains grow when sown in the ground but rice does not. Like rice, we do not want to be reborn. We want to rid ourselves from the cycles of birth and death. Unfortunately this symbol was misappropriately used in some distorted form but Jains have nothing to do with its use in that form. The four hands of the Swastik indicate the four states of existence (Gatis). They are 1. Human being (Manushya) 2. Celestial being (Dev) 3. Subhuman (Tiryanch) and 4. Hellish being (Narak). After death, a soul may get born into any one of these four forms depending on its Karma. Only human beings however may get liberated from this cycle of life and death through the process of Nirjara by following the three paths of Ratna Trayi and ultimately becoming Siddha. OM:
Om, a Sanskrit word, represents the bowing to the five entities represented in Navkar Mantra. These entities are A (Arihant), A (Ashariry - Siddha), AA (Aacharya), U (Upadhyay) and M (Muni - Sadhu). When these five sounds (A A AA U M) are combined, it results in OM. TRADITIONS:
There are two main traditions of the Jain religion, Digamber and Shwetamber. Both these traditions differ slightly in rituals. However, basic concepts, beliefs, philosophy like principle of Anekantvad, theory of Karma, reincarnation, emphases on nonviolence etc are same. 12 years of draught conditions resulted in North/South migration. Shwetambers migrated to North and Digamber migrated to South.
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