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PRABUDDH JEEVAN
JANUARY 2017
JAIN RITUALS AND FESTIVALS
ENLIGHTEN YOURSELF BY SELF STUDY OF JAINOLOGY
LESSON - FIFTEEN
O Dr. Kamini Gogri
Jain rituals play a prominent part in Jainism. night, and in the evening for the violence during the Rituals take place daily or more often. Rituals include day and additionally on certain days of the year. During obligations followed by Jains and various forms of idol this, the Jain expresses remorse for the harm caused, worships.
or wrongdoing, or the duties left undone. Jain rituals can be divided broadly in two Annual and lifetime obligations parts: Karya (Obligations which are followed) There are eleven annual obligations for a year and and Kriya (Worships which are performed).
some obligations for once in a life which should be Six Essential Duties
completed by Jain lay person individually or in a group. In Jainism, six essential duties (avashyakas) are They are prescribed by Shravak Pragyapti. prescribed for śrāvakas (householders). The six 11 annual obligations duties are:
They are following Worship of Panca-Parameshthi (five supreme Deva dravya : Fundraising for temples beings)
1. Mahapuja : Elaborate ritual in which temples and 1. Following the preachings of Jain saints.
icons decorated and sacred texts recited 2. Study of Jain scriptures
2. Ratri-jagarana : singing hymns and religious 3. Samayika: practising serenity and meditation
observance throughout night 4. Following discipline in their daily engagement 3. Sadharmik Bhakti : Deep respect to fellow follower 5. Charity (dāna) of four kinds:
of Jainism 1. Ahara-dana-donation of food
4. Sangha-puja : service to Sangha 2. Ausadha-dana-donation of medicine
5. Shuddhi: confession of faults 3. Jnana-dana-donation of knowledge
6. Snatra puja: a ritual related to Janma Kalyanaka 4. Abhaya-dāna - saving the life of a living being 7. Sutra-puja : veneration of scriptures
or giving of protection to someone under threat. 8. Tirthprabhavana : promotion of Jainism by These duties became fundamental ritual activities celebrating important occasion of a Jain householder. Such as spreading the 9. Udyapana : displaying objects of worship and grain for the birds in the morning, and filtering participant at the end of religious activities or boiling the water for the next few hours' use became 10. Yatratnika or Yatratrik : Participation in religious ritual acts of charity and non-violence. Samayika was festivals and pilgrimage to three sites used as a word for all spiritual activities including icon Obligations performed at least once in a lifetime worship during medieval times.
They are the following Samayika
1. Build a temple Samayika is the practice of equanimity, translating 2. Celebrate renunciation of a family member to meditation. It is a ritual act undertaken early in the 3. Donate a Tirthankara icon to a temple morning and perhaps also at noon and night. It lasts 4. Participate in Panch-kalyanak Pratishtha Worship for forty-eight minutes (Two Ghadis) and usually Devapuja means worship of tirthankaras. It is involves not only quiet recollection but also usually the usually done in front of images of any liberated soul repetition of routine prayers. The ritual is chanting and (Siddha) such as Tirthankara, or Arihant. In Jainism, praying about the good things
the Tirthankaras represent the true goal of all human Pratikramana
beings. Their qualities are worshipped by the Jains. Pratikramana is performed in the morning for Sthanakavasi oppose idol worship. They believe the repentance of violence committed during the in meditation and silent prayers. Jain idols are seen
