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ceremony concludes with a sermon by a monk or a nun about the importance of reading scriptures in the search for knowledge. The public then recites a formula in veneration of the teachers. For this reason this day is also known as Jnana-pancami (KnowledgeFifth) or Guru-pancami (Teacher-Fifth).
Paryushana-parva/Daksha-lakshana-parva (August) The festivals described above last only a day and are associated with some historical event. On the other hand Paryushana, which means 'passing the rainy season', is dedicated to the cultivation of certain religious practices of a longer duration. The Jaina monks and nuns, unlike their counterparts in other religions, do not have permanent abodes in the form of monasteries and nunneries; they are obliged by law to stay only a few days or weeks at a time in any one place. During the four months of the rainy season (caturmasa), however, they are required to choose a fixed place of residence and spend their time within the boundary of that village or town. The presence of nuns and monks (who must always live separately and in groups of a minimum of three persons) during the rainy season thus affords great opportunities for the lay devotees to undertake a variety of religious practices. The elders in the Jaina community plan for this occasion a year in advance by inviting a particular group of monks or nuns to come to their town for the rainy season. Since the Jaina mendicants must travel by foot, they set out on their journey early enou gh that they may arrive before the onset of the rainy season, which officially begins on the fourteenth day of the waxing moon of Ashadha (June/July). On that day lav people visit the n teachers and resolve to lead temporarily a life of restrait include dietary restrictions (such as not eating certain kinds of foods or not eating at night time), sitting in meditation in a regular every day, or the study of a particular scripture.
Participation in these religious observances becomes more intense during the week-long celebration of the Paryushana-parva. For the Shvetambaras this begins on the twelfth day of the waning moon of Shravana (August) and ends on the fourth day of the waxing moon of Bhadrapada. The Digambaras celebrate the same festival a week later, for ten days.
During these eight or ten days many members, young or old, of the Jaina community observe some form of restraint regarding food. Some may eat only once a day, or fast completely on the first and the last days; others refrain from eating and drinking (except for boiled water) for the entire week. These latter spend most of their time in temples or monasteries, in the company of monks. participants attempt in these various ways to emulate the life of a Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only
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