ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 04

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

Page 185

Dravya:
Objects/entities lit assumes using three types of materials e.g. entity with life (like real
jina present or a holy teacher etc.) without life (matter only like idols or holy scriptures) and mixed with and without life).
kşetra:
Place
Kla:
Time
Those places associated with the five auspicious events of the life of the jinas worshipped with eight types of materials. Worship during the time periods or moments when the five auspicious events of the life of jinas or the special religious events take place. To recite hymns or to remember the arhantas / jinas with body and endowed with the four infinites, siddhas with infinite attributes and without body i.e. pure soul; preceptors, holy teachers and ascetics according to ones capabilities. Similarly the four types of meditation i.e. pindastha, padastha, roopastha and roop tita is also called bh va puj.
Bh va:
Mental psychic
Āśā Dhar in Sagara Dharmāmrta (2.44) says that the devotees who worship the sermons (scriptures) of jina in fact worship the jina himself as there is no difference between jina and his sermons. Dhaval (9.4) says that worshipping a monk results in extinction of the sins committed. Up sk dhyayna indicates prast van pur karma, sannidh pana, pj and the benefits of p j as types of pj. Synonyms of p jare j jña, jajna, kratu, pj, saparya, ijy, adhwara and makha.
c rya Soma Deva had described two types of puj primarily namely daily (nitya) and event oriented (naimaitika). He says that the devotees and especially the learned ones who are familiar with the Jain metaphysics should be attentive while performing pj and not show any form of carelessness.
Types of Puj s
Daily Worship: This implies the worship performed daily by the devotee. Besides this, contributing daily towards establishment of a jina idol, building a temple, popularizing the Jain religion, paying obeisance to the deities of all the three time periods, s m yika, paying obeisance at the feet of the holy ascetics and charity for religious cause are also indicated as different types of puj
Event Oriented Worship: Puj performed by emperors, kings and cakravartis is called Caturmukha puj. Worship performed during the holy eight days every 4 months is called Astah nik puj: worship performed by gods is called Indradhwaja puj and the worship performed during Das laksa a / Paryusa a is called Daslaksa al Paryusa a puj. Besides these worship performed during consecration of idols or temples, called pancalkaly aks and during fasts are also called event oriented puj s. Tiloyapa atti describes the method of performing the puj with types of offerings. Special event oriented puj s, like Astah nik (for eight days), during festivals and special purpose puj s where lot of glamour, music, professional singers and ascetics are also involved along with special offerings like coconuts, incense in the fire, food for all those attending the puj s etc.
Offerings in Puj s: Reasons for performing abhişeka (giving a bath to the idol) and puj with eight types of offerings and the benefits accrued: Vasunandir vak c ra pages 483-488:
• Pouring water over and in front of the idol, the devotee washes/rids the dirt (sins) associated
with him. Based on the principle 'like water removes dirt associated with body /cloth etc, similarly water in the form of the true belief and knowledge (samyaktva) washes away the dirt of the k rmika accumulations over the soul'.
Putting sandalwood paste on the idol, the devotee acquires good fortune. Based on he idiom 'candayati hal dayati ca danam' i.e. like sandalwood pastes causes the bodily heat /fever to cool down, similarly samyaktva (right belief and knowledge) in the form of sandalwood paste
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STUDY NOTES version 4.0