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Pratishthä Ceremony of Shvetämbar Tradition for Jain Temples in America
Pravin K Shah Jaina Education Committee
jainaedu@gmail.com Revised on November 11, 2015
First published June 27, 2008
The first version of this article was compiled in 2008. At that time 8 different Jain centers of America were planning to do the Pratishtha ceremony. This article is now updated with current information. The primary purpose of this article is to educate first generation Jain youth and adults of North America. This is one of the most difficult articles I have compiled because a very different view exists between immigrant adults and first generation adults of North America.
Introduction There are two types of Pratishtha Vidhis (rituals) performed to install a Tirthankar Murti of the Shvetämbar Murtipujak tradition in a Jain temple.
Präna-Pratishtha (Anjan-Shaläkä) Vidhi which includes Standard Vidhi and Panch Kalyanak Vidhi. Präna-Pratishthä (Anjan-Shaläkä) Vidhi is a part of Panch Kalyanak Vidhi. Simple Pratishthä Vidhi which includes only Satandard Vidhi but does not include the
Panch Kalyanak and Anjan-Shaläkä ritual This article provides an overview of both ceremonial processes as performed by the Shvetämbar Murtipujak Jain communities. It also explains the benefits and additional responsibilities, the members of the society have to fulfill if their Jain centers decide to install a murti with AnjanShaläkä/Präna-Pratishthä ritual. Many Jain temples in America have installed Tirthankar murtis with a simple Pratishthä ritual while a few with the Anjan-Shaläkä ritual. This article will provide some help to understand the differences. History of Pratishtha Ritual The current Pratishtha ritual (Vidhi) that all Shvetambar Murtipujak Jains use is defined in the "Pratishtha-kalpa (Anjanshalaka-vidhi)" manuscript compiled by Upadhyay Shri Sakalchandra Gani about 300 years ago (17th Century).
http://www.jainlibrary.org/book.php?file=600016 About 1000 years after Lord Mahavir's nirvana (5th century AD), the memorized Jain Scriptures (Agam sutras) by monks were documented or written down. The Anjan Shalaka vidhi or Pratistha Vidhi is not mentioned in any of the documented Agam sutras. Hence, it can be easily concluded that the ritual (vidhi) started after the 5th century AD and it is not based on Jain Agam Sutras. The two ancient manuscripts: Nirvan Kalika by Padliptsuri and Achar Dinkar by Vardhmansuri are the basis for the current Anjan Shalaka vidhi. According to Jain historian Dr. Madhusudan A. Dhakay, these manuscripts were written in around 7th century. (Ref - Article "Padliptsuri Virchit Nirvan Kalikano Samay" by late Dr. Madhusudan A Dhakay who is one of the authorities of the Jain religion and the recipient of many prestigious awards which includes the Padma Bhushan Award of the Government of India in 2010).
http://www.jainlibrary.org/elib master/article/230000 article qujarati/Padliptsuri krut Nirv ankalika no Samay ane Samasyao 249358 std.pdf
