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192: JAINS TODAY IN THE WORLD time, Nami's blue lotus the intellectual blooming, Nemi's conch the purity of primordial waters, Pārsva's snakes immortality, Mahāvīra's lion his courage and heroism.
The sacred books have also a highly symbolic character for all Jains and more especially for the “Sthānakavāsi". They contain the religious law (dharma) to be observed in order to attain liberation and they represent the teachings of the Tīrthankara, especially of Mahāvīra, who established the definitive tenets of Jainism.
There are two lamps that play a role in Jainism: first, the "ārati" waved in front of the Tīrthankara's statues recalls the light they have afforded to the world, and second the "dipaka” or “divo” when lit represents the wish of devotees to see their heart radiate with compassion like that of the enlightened Jina.
The small bell (ghartā), at the entrance of temples, adepts ring when arriving and departing, is according to some, to show the joy they are filled with before and after their visit to the Jina.
The two shallow dishes (vardhamānaka), one on top of the other, with a light inside, are the symbols of wealth, merit and fame.
The throne with two lions and a parasol over it (siṁhāsana) expresses the kingship of the Jina. Sometimes there are three parasols (trichatra) above the throne of the statue of the Jina.
The great sacred pitcher (kalasa), made of copper, steel or silver, filled with boiled water, used during some ceremonies, like marriages and monastic initiations, is the emblem of purity.
The “sthāpanācārya”, we have mentioned before, represents the “Ācārya" when he cannot be present to a religious ceremony.
The three low tables placed on top of each other, from the biggest to the smallest, called “bajotha" represent the already cited “samavasaraņa”. They are used during “snātra-pūja" and "śänti-pūjā”
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