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DISCOURSE 69
THE EIGHTH WORSHIP IS PHALAPUJA (OFFERING FRUITS)
What kind of fruit do you desire for your worship? What fruit do you attain by worshipping the Paramatma? It is Moksha. Therefore we place fruits on the design of Siddhashila. The fruits symbolise our desire for the fruit of moksha. The fruits symbolise the fruit of moksha.
After the devotee completes the Agrapuja his heart overflows with the emotion of supreme joy. The heart that is overflowing with joy expresses that joy by means of ringing the bell. This is natural. In a temple, joy and jubilation should not be expressed in other ways. The devotees ring the bell, the clangour of which reveals their joy and jubilation. The ringing of the bell is a faultless action. Moreover, it makes the atmosphere in the temple bloom into bliss.
After completing Dravyapuja (worshipping with substances), the devotees should worship the Lord by means of the emotion of devotion. Between the phases of Dravyapuja (worshipping with substances) and Bhavapuja (emotional worship) there is an interesting activity, to be carried out and that is contemplating on the three Avasthas (states) of the Lord.
(1) Chadmasthavastha (the disguised state) (2) Kaivalyavastha (the state of omniscience) (3) Roopathithavastha (the formless state).
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The Tirthankar Paramatma has these three states. The Chadmasthavastha or the disguised state comprises three subsidiary states, namely:
(1) The state of childhood (the Balyavastha)
(2) The Princely state (the Rajyavastha)
(3) The state of mendicancy (the Shramanavastha).
Jain Education International
Now, let me explain to you the way to contemplate on each state of the Lord.
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