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Agam Sutra 39, Cheda Sutra-5, 'Mahanisitha'
The Acharya says that the practice (anushthana) of worshipping the Tirthankaras and others at any time, day or night, from birth onwards, through study, contemplation, preaching, and exposition, is certainly a must-do activity. It is considered essential.
O Gautama! The monks who violate or are lax in the timely performance of this practice are negligent, create disbelief in others by acting against the prescribed procedure, and despite having strength and vigor, are negligent in any essential activity. They cling to the support of indolence or sensual indulgence, delay or hurry in performing the prescribed rituals. Such monks incur a great penance.
O Lord! What is the second stage of penance? O Gautama! The second, third, fourth, fifth, and so on, up to infinite stages of penance are to be understood as included within the first stage of penance.
O Lord! Why do you say so? O Gautama! The monk who carefully utilizes the time for all essential activities, becomes completely free from the supports of inauspicious contemplation, attachment, aversion, passions, pride, and possessiveness. He immerses himself entirely in the activities of knowledge, perception, conduct, austerities, study, meditation, and the beautiful Dharma, without concealing his strength, vigor, and prowess, and becomes completely absorbed in them. When he becomes engrossed in the essential activities of the beautiful Dharma, he effectively blocks the inflow of karmic influx, and with the power of his soul, destroys the entire group of eight inauspicious karmas accumulated since beginningless time. He attains liberation from the bondage of the cycle of birth, old age, and death, and resides on the summit of the three worlds, the abode of the Siddhas, free from all suffering. Therefore, it is said that the other stages of penance are included within the first stage.
O Lord! What are those essential activities? Such as Chaitya-vandana, etc. O Lord! In which essential activity, if one repeatedly violates the time, or performs it negligently, or does not perform it properly at the prescribed time, or is not ready, or does not depart, or does not complete it, or performs it late, or does not perform it at all, or is negligent, what penance is prescribed for such a person?
O Gautama! The monk or nun who, from the day of their initiation, regularly and with great devotion, condemns past misdeeds, avoids future transgressions, and refrains from committing any present misdeeds, who has completely renounced all faults, and who, while reciting the sutras and their meanings with one-pointed attention, without getting distracted, and with a virtuous resolve, does not venerate the Chaitya at the three times, should be given the penance of one day's fast for the first offense, Cheda-prayashchitta for the second offense, and Upsthapana for the third offense, as not venerating the Chaitya in the prescribed manner creates disbelief in others. Therefore, this is considered a major penance.
Further, for plucking, causing to be plucked, or approving the plucking of green vegetation, seeds, flowers, or using them for worship, adornment, or decoration, the penances of Upsthapana, Kshaman-upavasa, Chaturtha-bhakta, Ayanmbil, Ekasana, Nivigadha, and Agadha should be understood in a gradual manner.
Translation by Muni Deepratan Sagar (Mahanisitha), Agam Sutra-Hindi Translation, Page 119.