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consecration of Jina-symbols by following in the footsteps of the Hindus. The fact that the use of different articles of worship has been a step by step evolution, has been clearly admitted by Pt. Phool Chand Siddhantshastri in the introduction to his ‘Jnanapitha Pujanjali’ and by Dr. Nemichandra Shastri in the essay, 'Puspakarma-Devapuja: Vikasa Evam Vidhi', in this book titled, “Bharatiya Sanskrit Ke Vikas men Jain Vangmaya ka Avadana” Part I, page 371.
Though the use of flowers in worship had been customary in ancient times but it does not quite match with the principle of extreme non-violence of Jaina tradition. On the one hand there is a text on worship-rituals in which the worshipper talks of atonement (expiation) for violence committed even to the onesensed living being and on other hand flowers, which are themselves one sensed-living being offered the Jina-idol. How far is this consistent? The following passage is recited for atonement:
Iryapathe Pracalatadya maya pramadat
Ekendriyapramukha-jivanikayabadha Nidvartita yadi bhaveva yugantareksa
Mithya tadastu duritam gurubhaktito me
It is to be remembered that in Svetambara tradition the 'Caityavandana' contains a small sūtra of 'Iriyāvihi virahanāye’ which means I atone for the violence to one-sensed beings while going for Caityanadana”. It is certainly an inner self-contradiction that on one hand we commit violence to other one-sense being such as earth, air, water, fire and vegetables during rituals of worshipping and offering while on the other hand we ask for atonement. Probably due to the influence of Hindu Dharma many worship related rituals and ceremonies entered in Jaina tradition by 61h.
Jainism and its History 92
| SR No. | 032590 |
| Book Title | Jainism And Its History |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Sagarmal Jain |
| Publisher | Research Foundation for Jainology |
| Publication Year | 2018 |
| Total Pages | 328 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 34 MB |