ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 01

Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies

Page 232

2.0 Types of festivals There are two types of festivals namely:
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Eternal (nitya): i.e. those festivals that are being observed since time immemorial or forever. They have no beginning. They can be also further sub-classified as those being observed annually/quarterly/fortnightly or daily. Event oriented (naimittika) i.e. those festivals, which are associated with some event. These events are normally the five life stages (kalyānakas i.e. conception, birth, renunciation, attaining omniscience and attaining salvation) of 24 tīrthamkaras i.e. spiritual preachers of Jainism; significant events like removing the obstacles experienced by monks or religious people; creation of Holy Scriptures or building a new temple etc. These are mostly annual festivals.
Out of the 24 tīrthamkaras, only the birth and moksa or salvation days of Bhagavāna Mahāvīra are celebrated as major festivals. We shall now look at some examples of both types of festivals of Jains. Some ācāryas have also classified festivals as auspicious and inauspicious. Most of the festivals we talk here fall in the category of auspicious only.
2.1.1 Eternal: Paryūşaņa/Dasa Laksaņa This is the most important (often called as mahāparva) of all Jains. Literally it means getting rid of or controlling / suppressing passions (anger, deceit, greed and pride) and sensual pleasures. All sects of Jains celebrate this festival with greatest enthusiasm, even though their timings and the reasons are slightly different. These occur three times a year i.e. after every four months (why?) but the one in the Hindi month of Bhadra (August-September) is the one considered most auspicious and celebrated with all vigor and activities. These days i.e. eight for Śvetāmbara and ten for Digambara are the most potent days for religious activities and spiritual purifications.
Śvetāmbara Jains believe that the end of third time period (period of enjoyment and no work) and beginning of fourth time period (period of less enjoyment and some work) starts as the power of the wish fulfilling-trees (kalpa) was diminishing. On the eighth day of the Hindu month Āsādha (declining fortnight) they saw simultaneously the red sun going down in the west and the full moon rising in the east. They got scared and went to their king (kulakara) who explained to them the meaning through the sermon of putting effort to get their wishes
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