________________
from sins it is also called 'Virati. The scriptures have described many types of such abstinence and character. The illustration shows the cleaning apparatus used by all male ascetics and female ascetics, the Rajo-haran, stick
and 'Tarapani' the wooden utensils for soliciting food. These are inevitable means for the preservation of character. 46. Arihanta: Jainism has accepted five supreme beings known as 'Paramesthis'. Among them Arihant is the first one. He is also
known as Arihant, Arahant or Aruhant. In Jainism there are twentyfour Tirtha nkaras-Ishwaras. They are called 'Arihanta'. A Tirthankara is known by many proper names based on adjectives but among such names the most famous name is Arihanta. Again the first sentence in the Nava-Kara Mantra used by millions of Jains daily for prayer, worship, meditation etc. is NAMO ARIHANTANAM (Obeisance to Arihanta). He is born in the best lineage during the incarnation for attaining the final status of Ishwar Arihanta-pada. They undergo rigorous austerity and self-control, remaining ever and thus by destroying Karma they remove the veils and becoming free from attachment and a versions and other vices attain the omniscience. At that time they are free from all attachments. As they attain all the good virtues they become respectable by all. Daily for most of the time they sit on the dias on a special seat in the divine religious auditorium and they deliver nectar like discourses full of detachment and renunciation and exhorting the audience for spiritual bliss and by showing the right path of spiritual practice raise them. Such Arihantas enjoy the bliss of fulfilment and liberation by attaining the final beatitude after annihilating the remanants of Karma when their life span is over. During every epoch 24 Tirthankaras are born. These Arihantas are not the incarnations of the same individual but different individuals who attain such supreme state. Not one, but many persons have the right to become Tirthankara. They are born as human beings and not as any other beings. In past innumerable Tirthankaras have flourished and in future the same would follow. Here the icon of Arihant with the divine halo and sitting in lotus
posture is shown. 47. The In this symbol the icon of a siddha, the emancipated person is shown as a specimen occupying Siddha Shila with
emancipated form of a semi-moon, the stone-seat of the emancipated person. The souls of the above mentioned Arihantas who person:
have realised absolute enlightenment or those individuals who are completely free from attachment and who have absolute enlightenment or the omnniscience i.e. knowledge of the past, present and future reside there. The souls of such male ascetics and female ascetics annihilate all the eight types of Karmas completely and thus end the movement on the wheel of worldly existence. When their life span is over, they attain the abstract state and reach the abode of the emancipated person over the 'Siddha Shila, in the fourteen Raja Lokas-worlds which are high up in the sky, infinite miles sway from this mundane world. Like the fusion of a flame with another flame their spiritual regions become compounded with those of others. They will stay there for all time. They have never to be born in this world. Their souls which have reached this abode of perfection enjoy like other emancipated person eternaland infinite bliss. Their number is always infinite. They have been included as the second category of supreme being in
the pada-NAMO SIDDHANAM in the Navakara Mantra. 48. The When a Tirthankara or Arihanta attains liberation, the preceptor called "Acharya' carries the responsibility of Jain preceptor:
shasan (order established by Tirthankara) Tirthanakara Devas, while living appoint them to take up the charge of (Acharya)
the administration and honour them by giving them a prominent place in their assembly. When Tirthankaras attain liberation, they look after the welfare of the whole community, of their principles, commands and institutions in an admirable way. Moreover they follow the code of conduct for knowledge, vision, character, austerity and spiritual strength and they inspire others to follow the same, beside propagating. They bring glory to the administration in many ways. The Jain community has great respect for the post of Acharya. In the Nava-Kara
Mantra they are mentioned as the third supreme being as NAMO AYARIYANAM. 49. Upadhyaya: The next place after the preceptor-Acharya is that of the Upadhyaya. He knows the scriptures well and his duty is to
impart knowledge to others. In the Nava-Kara Mantra they are mentioned as the fourth supreme being as NAMO
UVAJJHAYANAM. Here in this symbol he is shown as giving a lesson to an ascetic. 50. The They are mentioned as the fifth Supreme beings in the Nava-Kara Mantra as NAMO LOE SAVVA-SAHUNAM. ascetic : They strive for the ultimate good of themselves and of others and observe five vows. Here in the illustration he is
shown as doing spiritual practice of meditation. Further introduction is already given in the notes for symbol number 39. In the symbols from 48 to 50 the cleaning apparatus called Rajoharan or Ogho the symbol of all
ascetics is placed at the feet of the five categories of supreme beings 51. Wooden When any male or female householder feels aversion towards worldly life, he or she approaches the Jain religious
utensils of preceptor, accepts the five fundamental vows and thus he or she takes initiation, Diksha according to Jainism. Then Jain ascetic: such person has to become free from worldly attachment which awaken delusion, illusion, Maya or worldly
attachment. The person becomesready to lead a simple life of self control. So, from the very time of initiation, he or she is given begging utensils made not from metals but from wood. These utensils are either colourless or coloured by hand. While on a religious walk such ascetics bind the utensils in a cloth and keep them on the shoulder while proceeding farther.
In this symbol three illustrations are given. In the front is shown a set of seven utensils which can be fixed in order as one compact unit. While going for soliciting food (Gochari) the ascetic takesthem ina piece of cloth. He keeps the food received in these utensils. For accepting liquid food he uses the utensil shown in figure number 2. This utensil is
Jain Education International
For Personal & Private Use Only
www.jainelibrary 207
