The Jain 1988 07

Author(s): Natubhai Shah
Publisher: UK Jain Samaj Europe

Page 56

begins with the Panch Namaskara, the universal prayer of the Jains, a salutation to the enlightened souls (arihants), the liberated souls (siddhas), religious leaders (acharyas), religious teachers (updhyayas), and all the monks of the world. This, the Jain prayer par excellence, should be repeated seven times. A period of quiet recollection, samayika, follows if possible, contemplation of one's nature, one's place in the universe, perhaps of the holy places of Jainism, of the virtues of compassion, of non-violence, and like topics. Reflection on one's own shortcomings is enjoined. During this time, and for 48 minutes after sunrise, no food or drink is taken. (Forty-eight minutes, onethirtieth of a day, is a standard division of time.)
The temple is the focal point of Jain daily life and any community of Jains in India will have its local temple. Oversea it is likely to be less convenient, though many families have a small shrine in the home. A morning visit to the temple is a part of daily life. The image is saluted and worshipped with incense and lights and other offerings. The visit to the temple may involve ceremoniously bathing the holy image. Rendering service to the mendicants is a meritorious act: after worship the Jain lay person will go to the monastic hall (upasraya), reverently greet the mendicants, receive their blessing and make provision for their needs. This may involve asking whether they need such things as food and water, clothes or permitted necessaries, medicines, books, writing materials and so on.
The pious Jain returns home and now takes breakfast. Jain food is of course strictly vegetarian, and indeed long tradition excludes from the Jain diet certain foodstuffs believed to contain life to a particular degree, root vegetables, certain kinds of fruit and other things. The Jain may limit his or her intake of food, as a measure of austerity and self-control, or avoid the more tasty foods. On certain days in the month, and on certain annual dates, fasting is enjoined, either total or partial.
THE
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The daily work of the individual's vocation should be commenced with a spiritual invocation such as the Panch Namaskara. Needless to say, the Jain should avoid earning money by any improper means, cheating or lying or taking advantage of another's weakness. Certain vocations which are held to involve the danger of harm, ahimsa, to living beings were traditionally forbidden to Jains. It is recommended that half one's income should be used for living expenses, a quarter should be saved for old age, sickness and other misfortunes, and the remaining quarter should be expended on charitable objects. The evening meal is taken before sunset so that there is no danger of tiny insects or other living beings sustaining harm in the cooking operations or the eating of food in the dark. The recommended time is 48 minutes before sunset at least. Afterwards there will be another visit to the temple for further worship. The moving ceremonies of arti and mangal deva, involving the waving of lights before the holy image, bring the day's worship to a close. Once again the devotee will examine his or her conscience. reflecting on any shortcomings, perhaps in the ritual of pratikramana, the solemn penitential ritual. Back at home again, the rest of the evening may pass in spiritual study or reading or listening to accounts of the great saints of the Jain faith. If one should wake during the night, the recitation of the Namaskar Mantra, the Panch Namaskara,will calm the mind and the opportunity may be taken for contemplation of holy subjects.
Needless to say, this is an ideal picture. It takes no account of televison and the many other distractions of life today. It leaves very little time for social life or the many household duties or hobbies which everybody will expect to undertake. But as a guide to the devoted life it has some validity even in the modern world and does provide a routine which offers an escape from the cares of the world to something higher
and calmer and better.
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