Paryushan, the greatest Festival of India's Jain
Community
What is Paryushan for Jain community?
Paryushan is an Indian festival celebrated
by the Jain community as a spiritual occasion to purify the soul. Paryushan
will be starting from Friday, August 22, 2014, in this year. Shwetambar Jain
community will observe eight days of Paryushan between August 22 and 29.
Samvatsari will be observed on August 29. Some of the Swetambar sects will
observe Paryushan a day later i.e. Aug 23 to Aug 30.
This is a festival of self-realization. The Sanskrit word Paryushan means living with yourself. It is called Pajjosavan in Prakrit, another ancient oriental language. Auspicious festivals are called Parva in Sanskrit and Pavva in Prakrit language. Paryushan is the greatest and holiest festival for the Jain community.
One has to practice controlling his or her
body, speeches and mind to get control over oneself during the days of
Paryushan. Paryushan is meant for observing principles of Jainism as told by
Lord Mahavira and other Tirthankara. People observe the right knowledge (Samyag
Gyan), right faith (Samyag Darshan), and right conduct (Samyag Charitra) three
gems of Jain spirituality.
Paryushan is also for austerity and penance
like other Jain festivals. People go through self-realization and purification
of themselves. Samvatsari, the last day is forgiveness and universal friendship
day. People ask pardon from each other for all misdeeds during the year and
spread the eternal love.
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Image: SamavasharanaWhat do the Jain do in Paryushan?
The ultimate goal of Jainism is attaining
liberation, Nirvana. Jain people observe various spiritual things for
self-realization during these auspicious days. They do Pooja and pray in the
Jain temples (to show devotion to God), God in Jainism means differently. Arhant
and Siddh are called God according to Jain texts. They are omniscient and
omnipotent but do not interfere with any mundane activities. Jain does not
believe in a creator God.
Ashtanhika Pravachan is a sacred Jain text
that describes the duties of a Jain in the holy days of Paryushan. It is a general
practice among some sects in Jain that ascetics read out this text in the first
two or three days of the eight auspicious days.
Kalpasutra is one of the main Jain canons
that describe a lot about Paryushan. It is a normal practice to listen to
discourses from the Kalpasutra during Paryushan. The canon includes lives of
Tirthankara, Lives of famous ancient ascetics and dos and don'ts for the Jain
ascetics.
Image: Mahavira Swami Temple Kolkata
Jain people observe rituals like Samayik (an act of practicing equanimity) and Pratikraman (an act of confession), take vows, bow down to ascetics, listen to spiritual teachers, reading sacred canons, etc.
Jain Sharavak (layman) and Shravika (a laywoman) also observe fast and other acts of austerity and penance. They also chant Mantra especially Navkar Mantra using a rosary, sing devotional songs, and observe Paushadh (live like ascetics).
Both Jain ascetics and laymen observe these acts rigorously to purify soul with an aim to attain Nirvana, liberation.
Paryushan is also called Ashtanhika that means it lasts for eight days. The last day is called Samvatsari. Both Jain layman and ascetics to perform Samvatsarik Pratikraman (Annual confession) and ask pardon from all creatures in the universe with a pure heart for any misdeeds. This the act that promotes eternal love and universal brotherhood. This also brings peace.
Antagadhdashang Sutra is another Jain canon that describes the souls who liberated in the same birth. Some sects of Jain ascetics also give discourses from this canon during Paryushan days.
Tatwartha Sutra alias Moksha Shastra by
Umaswati is a great Jain text that contains the gist of all Jain canons. The
holy book contains ten chapters describing the complete path of Nirvana
(Moksha- liberation) and also the substance of the universe. Digambar Jain sect
listens to these ten chapters during ten days of Das Lakshan Parva.
(NB: Old manuscripts of Kalpasutra contain many miniature paintings. These are the oldest miniature paintings in the world. The oldest manuscript is preserved in a museum in Germany. We have displayed a few of Kalpasutra miniature paintings with gold pen in this hub below.)
Image: Sisters of Sthulibhadra, Kalpasutra old manuscript
Das Lakshan- Digambar Paryushan
The word Das Lakshan means ten attributes
of Dharma. These are qualities of a soul such as forgiveness, modesty,
simplicity, truthfulness, purity, etc. These are the same or at least similar to the
virtues observed in Paryushan.
Paryushan falls in Bhadrapad or Bhado month
of the lunar calendar during Chaturmas. Shwetambar sect observes it for eight days
and Digambar sect of Jain for ten days. Digambar also calls it Das Lakshan
Parva. The auspicious festival usually comes in August or September in
Gregorian calendar
Ashadh Chaturmas (Four months of monsoon)
has special characteristics in Jain faith. Jain ascetics live in one place
during these four months. These four months are Sharavan, Bhadra, Ashwin and
Kartik of Indian lunar calendar. In the rest of the eight months, they travel
regularly barefoot from a place to another.
Digambar Jain celebrates Paryushan as Das Lakshan
Parva. There are ten attributes of Dharma according to Jain canons. Especially
Tatvarthadhigama Sutra alias Moksha Shastra describes these ten attributes of
Dharma (Spirituality) in detail. These are
1. Uttam Kshama (Forgiveness)
2. Uttam Mardav (Modesty)
3. Uttam Arjav (Simplicity)
4. Uttam Shauch (Purity)
5. Uttam Satya (Truthfulness)
6. Uttam Sanyam (Self-control)
7. Uttam Tapa (Penance and austerity)
8. Uttam Tyag (Sacrifice)
9. Uttam Aakinchanya (Non-possessiveness)
10. Uttam Bhramcharya (Chastity)
These are eternal and internal qualities of a pure soul. A mundane soul tries to achieve these qualities (Virtues) in order to progress in the spiritual path. Digambar Jain community celebrates Das Lakshan Parva to worship these ten attributes.
Paryushan: The true way to liberation
Nirvana is liberation from all earthly
miseries. We, ourselves are responsible for all our miseries. ignorance of
thyself is the fundamental reason for all sorrows. Mundane souls, ignorant of
thyself act and behave sinfully in search of earthly and sensual pleasure. They
act through their body, their senses, their speeches, and their minds. They act
with astringent and loose peace of mind. Seldom they are virtuous.
These acts and behavior make mundane souls
restless and unhappy. The dilemma is that they are ignorant of the causes of
their sorrow and unhappiness. Spirituality shows them the true way to get rid
of all miseries and sorrows through three Gems (Virtues) as Lord Mahavira
taught the path.
Paryushan is the auspicious festival of
spirituality and time to practice the virtues Samyag Darshan (Right faith),
Samyag Gyan (Right knowledge i.e. wisdom) and Samyag Charitra (Right conduct).
Attaining equanimity through meditation is
the apex of all spiritual deeds observed in the Paryushan. An intense degree of
meditation liberates mundane souls from all Karmic bondage and help to attain
omniscience and Nirvana.
May heaven bless you with these virtues to
attain Nirvana free from all Karmic bondage and liberated from all
miseries!
Paryushan In Varanasi
Varanasi is a Jain pilgrimage center where 16 Kalyanaka of four Tirthankara took place. Bhelupur is the most prominent place in Varanasi where four Kalyanaka of Lord Parasnath occurred. Bhelupur is also a Jain district in Varanasi where large numbers of Jain community members live in.
I have been observing my Paryushan herein
Bhelupur temple and Dharmshala. I give discourse in the morning on Ashtanhika
(First two days) and Kalpasutra (Last six days) in the morning among Swetambar
Jain community members of Varanasi.
There are daily Pooja, Abhishek, Snatra,
Aangi and Pratikraman observed in this premise. Several Jain students studying
in IIT at BHU used to come to join us in a religious ceremony.
Updated on August 23, 2014.
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