First Steps to Jainism Part 1

Author(s): Sancheti Asso Lal, Manakmal Bhandari
Publisher: Sancheti Trust Jodhpur

Page 96

82 First Steps to Jainism
major vows (Mahavrata) three controls (guptis), five types of vigilance (Samitis), ten commandments (dharma), twelve penances (tap) etc. The monks are required to observe these rules strictly.
9. Actually the last three worships-acharya, upaddhyayas and saints are all Jain monks and follow the rules for monks apart from other duties prescribed. They are also on the path of spiritual liberation and though worthy of worship by laymen, they worship the Siddhas and Arihantas, who are in the category of Gods as they are realized souls. Thus this fivefold worship can be narrowed down to three-fold worship-Arihants, Siddhas and sadhus. From this angle Arihantas and Siddhas fall in the category of gods and the remaining three are teachers (guru).
10. Coming back to the incantation it is seen that it begins with namo which means to bow or to venerate. This veneration is of two types-physical and mental. The former involves folding of hands, bowing of head and touching the ground. By mental veneration is meant withdrawing the mind from other attractions and concentrating it upon the particular worship represented by its qualities. For complete veneration both the body and mind should participate in it.
11. This Namaskar mantra or veneration is also known as Panch Parmeshthi mantra, as the five most esteemed beings are worshipped by it. Another name given is navkar meaning nine sentences. We have stated above the five sentences. The remaining four are:
Aiso Panch Namokaro (6) Sav Pavapp Nasno (7) Manglanancha Savesin (8) Padhman Hawai Manglam (9)
(This five-fold worship (6), destroyer of all sins (7), amongst all beneficients (8), this is the best beneficient(9))
12. Another tradition adds four more worships to the five mentioned earlier to make them nine as under -