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Essence of Jainism
Sanivatsari--a great festival
This is a great festival. It is greater than other festivals. Let us pote where its greatness lies.
If an individual intends to experience real peace, desires to cultivate equanimity in prosperity and disparity or adversity, wants to preserve the internal unity and not to permit the discord of ones personality, then, the only principal way is that one closely observes all the spheres of ones activities of life. The purpose of this close internal observation is to see as to where, in which ways and with reference to whom one commits small or big blunders. When an individual observes ones blunders with all sincerity and humility, then he feels that even a small blunder of his is big like a mountain and he is not able to bear it, Consciousness of his own blunder and deficiency makes man awake and discriminative. Alertness and discrimination teach to man how to maintain and cultivate relations with others. In this way, internal observation prevents the break up of ones personality. This observation is necessary, not only for recluses and fakirs but for all men of all ages and for success in ones own business and iostitutions. This is because through this, man gradually gets free from his blemishes and wins over the hearts of all. This is the individual side of the due importance of this annual festival. We have yet to think over its importance from community point of view. As far as I know, no other festival holds the importance that this festival does from the point of view of introspection for the good of the community. We can also understand how important it is to make introspec. tion from the point of view of the community, confess ones faults and pardop those of others heartily, for social health.
This has led the Jain tradition to the custom that in every village, town or city, Sanghas resort to mutual confession of faults - and pardoning them. The same is the conduct with Sangbas of other places, Sanghas include not only house-holders but also recluses. Sangha does not mean a Gaccha or an Ācārya or followers of one Upäsraya but every Jaina who follows Jain tradition, Agrin, it iss
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