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Siddhachakra: The Wheel of Perfection
At first, the Siddhachakra of both the Digambaras and Shwetambaras was confined to a lotus of four petals, with a representation of the Arhat in the centre. Patterned in this way, it may also be called pancha-parmeshti, with which the five great souls are meant: the Arhats, Siddhas, Acharyas, Upadhyayas and Sadhus.
STUDY
The eight-petalled Siddhachakra, either cut in stone, cast in metal or painted on cloth or paper, appeared in the eleventh century, but by then each of the two big sects employed a different pattern, the Shwetambaras named theirs nava-pada the Digambaras nava-devata. However, the term Siddhachakra is used as the common term for all the different forms of the saint-wheel'. Thus the Shwetambaras call the festival, held around the end of winter, at which they offer worship to the symbols representing the 'Five Great Souls' and the Four Essentials', Siddhachakra Mahapujan. On that occasion colorful Siddhachakra mandalas are designed and composed in the temples out of rice and different grains, seeds, and blue and black pulses. For the Shwetambaras the four 'essentials' are: Right Knowledge, Right Faith. Right Conduct and Right Penance. For the Digambaras, they are: the Jina image, the Temple enshrining the image. the Wheel of Law, and the Scriptures.
Figure of eight-petalled Siddhachakra
Shwetambaras:
1 - Arhat 2- Siddha 3- Acharva 4- Upadhvava 5- Sadhu 6- Gyana (right knowledge) 7- Darshana (right faith) 8- Charitra (right conduct) 9- Tapa (right penance)
Digambaras: 1 to 5 as above
6- Chaitya (the Jina image) 7- Chaityalaya (temple enshrining the Jina) 8- Dharma Chakra (Wheel of law) 9. Sutras (represented by a book stand)
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