English Pratikraman Introduction and Ritual together for English Speaking Jains

Author(s): Mayur and Rita Lodaya (Speaker)
Publisher: JAINA Education Committee

Page 11

PARYUSHAN AND DAS LAKSHANA PARVA
B. - Paryushan and Das Lakshana Parva Generally, festivals are celebrations characterized by excitement, enthusiasm, and enjoyment; Jain festivals are characterized by renunciation, austerities, study of the scriptures, and repetition of holy hymns by reciting Sutras, Stavans, meditation, and expressing devotion for the Tirthankars. Paryushan is the most important festival in Jainism. It is obse during the month of August and/or September. The Shvetämbar sect observes it for 8 days while the Digambar sect observes it for 10 days where it is known as Das Lakshana Parva. During these eight or ten days, the entire Jain community becomes engrossed in spiritual and religious activities.
Literally, Paryushan means "coming together from all directions". This symbolizes growth and transformation.
The word "Paryushan” has several meanings:
Pari + Ushan = all kinds + to burn = to burn (shed) all types of karmas. Our scriptures have prescribed twelve different types of austerities (tap) such as Präyschit (repentance) and Veyavachcham (to help others), to reduce our Kashayas (vices) and thereby eliminate our karmas. Another meaning of "Ushan" is to stay closer. We stay closer to our own soul (remember the qualities of our true soul) by doing Swadhyay (self-study), meditation, and austerities during Paryushana. Pari + Upashamanä = Upashamanä means to suppress, mainly our passions (Kashäyas - anger, ego, deceit and
greed) from all sources. The purpose of life according to Jain teachings is to realize oneself, as well as to experience wholeness, peace, compassion, and reverence for all life. Therefore, the real purpose of Paryushan is to purify our soul by observing and correcting our own faults, asking for forgiveness for the mistakes we have committed, and taking vows to minimize our faults. During Paryushan we should strive to minimize our worldly affairs so that we can concentrate on the qualities of our true self. Paryushan is a period of repentance and confession for the undesirable acts of the previous year, and to practice austerities that help minimize our passions and vices, which shed accumulated karma. Austerity, the control of one's desire for material pleasures, is a part of spiritual training. During this
ENGLISH PRATIKRAMAN