ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 04

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

Page 103

1.2.c
Five Supreme Auspicious Beings (Panca Parameşthis)
& Namok ra Mah ma tra
Br. Hem Chand Jain
1.0 Introduction Jainas refute the existence of a God as a creator, benefactor or destroyer. The goal of all religious actions is to free the soul from all the impurities (karmas as per Jains) that are attached to it so as to establish itself in its true, pure and blissful state. All those many precepts, vows, mortifications, observances and rites prescribed by the trtha karas (fordmakers or rejuvenators of gthe creed) to the believers serve to attain this goal. It is true that they apply only to an individual, are meant for an individual and are to be realized as such by an individual.
Such a person who has conquered the world i.e. freed himself from the obscuring karmas and attained omniscience and later from cycle of birth-death-birth and associated pains and ultimately salvation, to whom even the gods approach with reverence, is alone worthy to be worshipped. He is totally detached from the world. He alone can guide all living beings about the path to salvation. The one who has him constantly before his eyes, the one who is committed forever in achieving this eternal state of bliss and knowledge is also promoted and elevated and as such he would thereby approach slowly but surely the blissful state and may hope finally to be identical to him.
Jains rever those who have attained perfect state of their souls for their virtues and also those who are completely and all the time following the path prescribed by them to attain this perfect state of bliss and knowledge.
1.1 Prayer, Hymn, Ma tra Prayer is the simplest form of devotion, which is most commonly used in Christianity and in other religions. In prayer the believer converses with the object of worship; he dedicates his worship to Him, he praises Him and shows his love and devotion, bares his sufferings to Him and hopes to get fulfilment of all sorts of wishes. On the other hand, a Jain (who does not believe in a Trtha kara as a world- ruling God) performs prayers and worship Trtha karas, siddhas and other auspicious beings for being their ideals and attributes so that they can also become like them. Their worship constitutes reciting the attributes of perfect beings to accrue these themselves.
1.2 Jain benediction: Namask ra/ Namok ra/Navak ra Mah mantra
amo Arihantam, amo Siddh am, amo y riyam, amo Uvajjh ya am, amo Loye Savva S hu am.
This is Namask ra Mantra (benedictory incantation for salutation to five auspicious beings). This is in Pr krta' language and is extremely blissful. Its Sa skrta version is as follows:
Namo Arhadbhyah, Namah Siddhebhyah, Namah c ryebhyah, Namah Up dhy yebhyah , Namo Loke sarva S dhubhyah
It's Meaning: Obeisance to Ariha tas (embodied pure soul and omniscient), obeisance to siddha (Omniscient and liberated soul without body), obeisance to cryas (Chief preceptors of the congregation of ascetics/monks), obeisance to all Up dhay yas (ascetics-teachers) obeisance to all S dhus (ascetics-monks) found in the universe. Thus, in this Ma tra the 'Namask ra, (salutation Zobeisance) is offered to five categories of supreme auspicious souls. Hence this is called 'Namask ra Mantra
In Jainism, highest consideration is given to all forms of moral / ethical and spiritual practices to free the soul of all matter bondages (karmas primarily) so that the pure soul, devoid of any bondage with
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STUDY NOTES version 4.0