________________
Their Religious Symbols, Drawings and Expressions : 193 with the statue of a Tīrthankara and set also when an ascetic delivers his discourses to show that he (or she) has studied the sacred books.
The small broom (charavali), moved by the Jain laity during their meditation and confession, is to be related by thoughts with the ascetics. .
The “muhapatti”, that the Svetāmbara laity put in front of the mouth during their “pūjā”, “sāmāyika" and "pratikramaņa", and that some Jain ascetics permanently wear, shows their wish not to commit violence even towards minute beings and to control their thoughts, words and activities.
The coconut (śrīphala), literally " the fruit of prosperity”, is used as an emblem of happiness or of good luck, at the occasion of some ceremonies, like marriage. Employed as offering during a “pūja" it means detachment from worldly pleasures.
We could still cite numerous other symbol-objects. We have seen already a lot of them, especially concerning offerings made by devotees during their “pājā", and thus we will limit ourselves to this short summary that does not claim to be an exhaustive report.
•
Their symbol-signs
Since ancient times Jains have eight auspicious signs (aştamangala). They use them to decorate their temples, to adorn their homes or the outer walls. We have already seen some of them like: the “śrīvatsa", the Indian “swastika" the “vardhamānaka", the "kalaša“ the “siṁhāsana”. We may add: the design of two fishes (mina-yugala) that means the liveliness of souls, the “swastika" with nine corners (nandyāvarta) that symbolizes the nine kinds of material, mental, physical and spiritual wealth and the mirror (darpaņa) that reflects one's true self.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
