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Jainism. The Ultimate Destination Rajni Shah
Jain religion and its practices comprise of a number of terminologies being commonly used, but their meaning and implication need to be understood also in the context of today's science.
Begin with the word 'Jain.' A soul who has conquered inner enemies, like love and hate, attachment and aversion, pleasure and pain, and is relieved from all karmic bondages is called the conqueror or JIN. A JIN or JINESHWAR is also called 'Arihant' ('Ari' means inner enemies and 'hant' means destroyed) or 'Vitaraga' (who has no attachment or raag). The followers of JIN are called Jains. Jains are also called 'Shravak and Shravika', which mean one who listens to and practices teachings of JIN for ultimate salvation. Here one important thing to note is that Jain teerthankers do not have attachment or aversion, and therefore, they are neither pleased nor displeased with our prayers and therefore do not give blessings or curses. The question would be 'Why do we pray to them then?' We pray to acquire their virtues and qualities to be one like themselves. Teerthanker do not preach to surrender to them, instead they say 'Do what I did. Follow my path' and one day you too will become liberated from all karmas. The message is very clearly given 'Worship God & Become God'.
The teerthanker in Jain Darshan is not born as a teerthanker. He is born just like a human being. Then, he initiates a Diksha, i.e., Sansar tyaga and after many years of tapa, meditation and penance, he attains Omniscience, i.e., kevalgyan. He then establishes the fourfold order (Sadhu, Sadhavi, Shravak and Shravika) which is called the 'chaturvidh sangh'. This fourfold order is also called a 'mobile teerth'. Since he establishes this teerth, he is designated a "Teerthanker'.
Another word 'Chovisi' means in a given timeframe of millions of years, there are always 24 independent souls who conquer their inner enemies and become teerthanker one after another. Over and above, there are many other souls who also liberate themselves, but they are not regarded as Arihants or Teerthankers. The 24th and last of the present timeframe is Shri Mahaveer Swami who was born 2,500 years ago. There were innumerable such time-frames in the past; and in every time-frame, there were 24 teerthankers, and in the future there will be innumerable time-frames with 24 teerthankers in every time-frame. Thus, Shri Mahaveer Swami was not a founder of the Jain religion, but a propagator of the then existing religious order. He followed the well-established creed of his predecessor, the 23rd
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teerthanker, Shri Parshwanath. Looking at this beginning less time-frame, Jain religion originates from time immemorial. Even in Rigveda and Hindu scriptures, we find prayers made to the first Jain teerthanker (Shri Adinath or Adishwar) of the present time-frame.
There is a word 'Navakarsi' which means not to eat or drink (even water) before sunrise. Another word 'Chauvihar' means not to eat or drink (even water) after sunset. Science has today proved that digestion is always excellent in the presence of solar energy, and that a late night dinner causes indigestion, constipation and other health problems. Here is an interesting story. Once, a King complained to a Jain Sadhu that SUN gives energy and life to us, yet why do you not consider SUN as a GOD. Sadhu replied that we Jains respect and have the highest reverence for SUN, and that is the reason, when sun goes away in the evening, we miss the SUN so much, and as a mark of reverence and in separation, we even stop eating and drinking, until the SUN comes back in the morning. Today, how many Jains practice this ritual is indeed a matter of concern.
From a nonviolence standpoint, we are expected to drink only boiled (and then cooled) water, and not out of the water tap without boiling. The side effect of this ritual is also linked strongly to science, health and ecology. It is a pity, we have too many excuses and pretexts to follow this.
Samayak means to sit 48 minutes out of the whole day to get away from worldly affairs and attachments and experience the state of Samadhi. Pratikraman means to sit every day for 48 minutes each after sunset and before sunrise to recite scriptural sutras to repent for all sins done during the entire day/night. This is something like laundry, washing away the dirt attached to the soul.
Now comes the word 'Pachhakhan'. Out of 24 hours, the total time we spend in eating is hardly about two hours, meaning thereby, for almost 22 hours we are in a state of non-eating or partial Upavas. This 'Pachhakhan' means to take a vow not to eat or drink for a fixed time of 3-4-5 or any hours during day time and for 12 hours at sunset. This ritual reduces the influx of karma. Michhami Dukkadam stands for asking forgiveness from everyone for any hurt or pain caused knowingly at any time. This quality has purifying and philosophical significance. It reduces the burden of karma.
Gochari means Jain Sadhu or Sadhavi visits Jain houses to collect their food. 'GO' means a cow, and 'Chari' means to graze. Here, one more facet of For Private &16rsonal Use Only
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