ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 04

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

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Some c ryas 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: Paryusa a / Dasa Laksa a This is the most important (often called as mah parva) 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 Bh dra (August-September) is the one considered most auspicious and celebrated with all vigor and activities. These days i.e. eight for vet mbara and ten for Digambara are the most potent days for religious activities and spiritual purifications
vet mbara 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 Aşādha (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 satisfied. The next day was taken as the first day of the new time period i.e. 4 h time period of the declining epoch i.e. dawn of karmayuga.
Digambaras on the other hand consider the end of declining epoch (avasarpi i) and beginning of utsarpi i epoch. The first ten days of this transition see the end of fierce rains of fire etc and the beginning of normal rains of water, milk etc. The earth has vegetation growing and the remaining 72 couples (human beings) hiding in the caves come out and start inhabiting the earth again, i.e. they heave a sign of relief and start leading normal lives. They celebrate this event for ten days to commemorate the beginning of human settlement in comfort.
Since Jains believe in continuous cycles avasarpi i and utsarpi i epochs; we say that they are eternal i.e. had been, are being and will always be celebrated.
vet mbara Jains celebrate this parva from 12h day of the dark fortnight of Bh dra till fourth day of the bright fortnight of Bh dra month and call this festival as Samavatsiri. Digmabara Jains celebrate it as Dasa Laksa a from 5lh day of the bright fortnight of Bh dra till 14th day of the same fortnight. They have one chapter of Tatty rathas tra taught to them every day. Also there are lectures on ten dharmas/ commandments, one each day by scholars or monks. The Jains keep fasts, from half day to the entire period depending on their willpower and capacity, go to the temples and perform puj listen to the sermons from monks etc. There are plays, story telling and other religious activities. On the last day, invariably every Jain donates hefty amounts of money for religious cause of their choice. Digambara Jains take out processions on the last day and have community lunch etc. A day after the last day is celebrated as the Day of Forgiveness when every one seeks forgiveness from one and all for the pains or miseries caused by them.
2.1.2 Eternal: Astnik Digambara Jains celebrate this festival every year for eight days in the months of K rtika, Ph Iguna and $ dha i.e. after every four months, from the eighth day to fourteenth day of the bright fortnight. It is said that angels with the right vision leave their kingdoms and go to Nandi wara Island having 52 natural Jain temples and 5616 Jain idols to perform worship of siddhas. Human beings cannot go to Nandi wara Island and hence build a replica of Nandi wara Island in the temple and perform mass puj of the siddhas for eight days to earn good karmas and hence good luck. vet mbara Jains also celebrate it accordingly.
2.1.3 Others There are other eternal celebrations, like glh and 14th day of every fortnight for Digambara Jains; for
vet mbara Jains 2 and 10h day when they keep fasts and spend the day in the temples. These occasions are known as Proşadhopav sa. Similarly every day in the early morning and late evening,
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STUDY NOTES version 4.0