$JES 203 First Step of Jainism Level 2 Book

Author(s): JAINA Education Committee
Publisher: JAINA Education Committee

Page 37

SWASTIKA (SATHIYA)
and dependency in their life. In short, their life is not conducive to attaining liberation or Moksha. Hellish Being (Näraki)
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During Pujä, we use only household, dehusked rice (Akshat) to make the Swastika. All grains, except de-husked rice, grow when planted. Like de-husked rice, we do not want to be reborn. We want to end the cycle of birth and death as it is the root cause of worldly misery.
As a hellish being in “Narak one is continuously fighting, causing more suffering to others and living in misery. Such a life is therefore unsuitable for spiritual pursuit.
The Swastika is created from rice in the temple to symbolize and point the way to liberation.
Thus, out of these four Gatis (realms) it is only from a human life, through spiritual pursuit, can one free oneself from the cycle of birth and attain liberation.
Glossary
In the above four states of existence we are born, we grow old and we die. In order to overcome the cycle of worldly existence we should strive to attain Enlightened Intuition (Samyak Darshan), Enlightened Knowledge (Samyak Jnän)and Enlightened Conduct (Samyak Chäritra). The three dots above the Swastika denote these three "jewels" described in Jainism.
The inherent qualities of the soul are infinite knowledge, infinite perception, infinite energy and infinite bliss. These qualities are obscured by our karma. For example, if we have a dirty window we cannot see through it. As soon as we wipe it clean we can see through the window and the beauty on the other side. Similarly, if we clean and remove the dirt (Karma) from our soul we can reveal and see its true qualities. The crescent moon on top of the Swastika represents the resting place of the pure, liberated soul (Siddhashilä or Siddhaloka).
Akshat Chäritra Darshan
Deva Dvesha Gati
Jnän Manushya Narak
Räga Samyak Sanyam
Säthiya Siddha-loka Swastika
Тара Tiryancha
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THE FIRST STEP OF JAINISM
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