Showing posts with label jain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jain. Show all posts
Friday, January 29, 2010
Monday, September 8, 2008
Jain Pujas : Basics
Jain Puja symbolizes various aspects of our religion. One should reflect on such aspect while performing the puja rituals. There are different types of puja being performed for various religious and social ceremonies. The following eight types of materials is generally used for pujas.
1. Jala Puja: (Water)
Water symbolizes the ocean. Every living being continuously travels through Life Ocean of birth, life, death, and misery. This puja reminds that one should live the life with honesty, truthfulness, love and compassion towards all living beings. This way one will be able to cross the Life Ocean and attain Moksha or liberation. The path of liberation is Samyak Darshan, Samyak Jnan and Samyak Charitra in Jain religion.
2. Chandan Puja: (Sandal-wood)
Chandan symbolizes Knowledge (Jnan). During this puja one should reflect on Right Knowledge. Right knowledge means proper understanding of reality which includes Soul, Karma, and their relationship. Jainism believes that the Path of Knowledge is the main path to attain liberation. Bhakti or Devotion helps in the early stages of one's effort for liberation.
3. Akshat Puja: (Rice)
The household rice is the kind of grain seeds, which are non-fertile. One cannot grow rice plants by seeding the household rice. Symbolically it means that rice is the last birth. By doing this puja one should thrive to put all the efforts in the life in such a way that this life becomes one's last life and after the end of this life one will be liberated and will not be reborn again.
4. Pushpa Puja: (Flower)
Flower symbolizes conduct. Our conduct should be like a flower, which provides fragrance and beauty to all living beings without discrimination. We should live our life like flowers with full of love and compassion towards all living beings.
5. Naivedya Puja: (Sweet)
Naivedya symbolizes a tasty food. By doing this puja, one should thrive to reduce or eliminate the attachment to tasty food. Healthy food is essential for survival, however one should not live for to eat a tasty food. Ultimate aim in one's life is to attain a life where no food is essential for our existence and that is the life of a liberated Soul, who lives in Moksha forever in ultimate bliss.
6. Deepak Puja: (Candle)
The flame of Deepak represents a Pure Consciousness or a Soul without any bondage or a Liberated Soul. In Jainism such a Soul is called Siddha or God. The ultimate goal of every living being is to become liberated from karma. By doing this puja one should thrive to follow Five great Vows: Non-violence, Truthfulness, Non-stealing, Chastity and Non-possession. Ultimately these proper conducts coupled with right faith and knowledge will lead to liberation.
7. Dhup Puja: (Incense)
Dhup symbolizes ascetic life. While burning itself, Dhup provides fragrance to others. Similarly true monks and nuns spend their entire life selflessly for the benefit of all living beings. This puja reminds that one should thrive for a ascetic life which ultimately leads to liberation.
8. Fal Puja: (Fruit)
Fruit symbolizes Moksha or Liberation. If we live our life without any attachment to worldly affair, continue to perform our duty without any expectation and reward, be witnessed to all the incidents that occurred surrounding to and within us, truly follow ascetic life, and have a love and compassion to all living beings, we will attain the fruit of Moksha or liberation. This is the last Puja symbolizing the ultimate achievement of our life.
1. Jala Puja: (Water)
Water symbolizes the ocean. Every living being continuously travels through Life Ocean of birth, life, death, and misery. This puja reminds that one should live the life with honesty, truthfulness, love and compassion towards all living beings. This way one will be able to cross the Life Ocean and attain Moksha or liberation. The path of liberation is Samyak Darshan, Samyak Jnan and Samyak Charitra in Jain religion.
2. Chandan Puja: (Sandal-wood)
Chandan symbolizes Knowledge (Jnan). During this puja one should reflect on Right Knowledge. Right knowledge means proper understanding of reality which includes Soul, Karma, and their relationship. Jainism believes that the Path of Knowledge is the main path to attain liberation. Bhakti or Devotion helps in the early stages of one's effort for liberation.
3. Akshat Puja: (Rice)
The household rice is the kind of grain seeds, which are non-fertile. One cannot grow rice plants by seeding the household rice. Symbolically it means that rice is the last birth. By doing this puja one should thrive to put all the efforts in the life in such a way that this life becomes one's last life and after the end of this life one will be liberated and will not be reborn again.
4. Pushpa Puja: (Flower)
Flower symbolizes conduct. Our conduct should be like a flower, which provides fragrance and beauty to all living beings without discrimination. We should live our life like flowers with full of love and compassion towards all living beings.
5. Naivedya Puja: (Sweet)
Naivedya symbolizes a tasty food. By doing this puja, one should thrive to reduce or eliminate the attachment to tasty food. Healthy food is essential for survival, however one should not live for to eat a tasty food. Ultimate aim in one's life is to attain a life where no food is essential for our existence and that is the life of a liberated Soul, who lives in Moksha forever in ultimate bliss.
6. Deepak Puja: (Candle)
The flame of Deepak represents a Pure Consciousness or a Soul without any bondage or a Liberated Soul. In Jainism such a Soul is called Siddha or God. The ultimate goal of every living being is to become liberated from karma. By doing this puja one should thrive to follow Five great Vows: Non-violence, Truthfulness, Non-stealing, Chastity and Non-possession. Ultimately these proper conducts coupled with right faith and knowledge will lead to liberation.
7. Dhup Puja: (Incense)
Dhup symbolizes ascetic life. While burning itself, Dhup provides fragrance to others. Similarly true monks and nuns spend their entire life selflessly for the benefit of all living beings. This puja reminds that one should thrive for a ascetic life which ultimately leads to liberation.
8. Fal Puja: (Fruit)
Fruit symbolizes Moksha or Liberation. If we live our life without any attachment to worldly affair, continue to perform our duty without any expectation and reward, be witnessed to all the incidents that occurred surrounding to and within us, truly follow ascetic life, and have a love and compassion to all living beings, we will attain the fruit of Moksha or liberation. This is the last Puja symbolizing the ultimate achievement of our life.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Books on Jainism
JAINSIM is one of the forgotton jewels of the world's faiths.
william bloom, author of Soulution: The holistic manifesto.
we are very proud of our religion but it is very less known in west though we have temples in all parts of the world, WHY !!!
because of less documentation and availability of the proper books.I am here trying to list out a few books which I can to help in increasing our knowledge and spreading Jainism.
Please help to list out few more :
1. The Jain Path : AIDAN RAINKIN
2. Introducing Jainism : Jain S.C.
3. Fundamentals of Jainism : Sadhak, Jagdish Pras
4. A Jaina perspective on the philosophy of religion : Arvind Sharma
5. Jainism : a pictorial guide to the religion of non-violence : Kurt Titze
6. A comprehensive history of Jainism : Asim Kumar Chatterjee
william bloom, author of Soulution: The holistic manifesto.
we are very proud of our religion but it is very less known in west though we have temples in all parts of the world, WHY !!!
because of less documentation and availability of the proper books.I am here trying to list out a few books which I can to help in increasing our knowledge and spreading Jainism.
Please help to list out few more :
1. The Jain Path : AIDAN RAINKIN
2. Introducing Jainism : Jain S.C.
3. Fundamentals of Jainism : Sadhak, Jagdish Pras
4. A Jaina perspective on the philosophy of religion : Arvind Sharma
5. Jainism : a pictorial guide to the religion of non-violence : Kurt Titze
6. A comprehensive history of Jainism : Asim Kumar Chatterjee
Meri Bhavna
He, who has subdued his passions and desires, who has realized the secret of Universe in entirety;
Who has discovered upon the teaching of Right Path of liberation for the benefit of all in a quite unselfish manner;
Who is variously termed Budha, Mahavir, Jina, Hari, Hara, Brahma and self;
In Him, imbued with deep devotion, may this mind (of mine) eternally dwell !
Those who have no longing left for sense produced pleasure;
Who are rich in quality of equanimity;
Who are day and night engaged in encompassing the good of all-their own as well as of others;
Who undergo the severe penance of self-effacement without finding-such Enlightened Saints, verily, conquer the pain and misery of mundane existence !
May I always associate with with such aforesaid Holy men;
May my mind be constantly occupied with their contemplation;
May the longing of my heart be always to tread in their footsteps;
May I also never cause pain to any living being;
May I never utter untruth; and
May I never covet the wealth or wife of another!
May I ever drink the nectar of contentment !
With pride may I never be elated, angry may I feel with none;
The sight of another's luck may not make me envious with his lot;
May my desire be ever for dealings fair and straight, and may my heart only delight in doing good to others to the best of my abilities all the days of my life !
May I always entertain a feeling of friendliness for all living beings in the world;
May the spring of sympathy in my heart be ever bubbling for those in agony and affliction;
may I never fell angry with the vile, the vicious and the wrongly-directed;
May there be such an adjustment of things sealing with them !
May my heart ever overflow with love at the sight of virtuous men;
May this mind (of mine) rejoice always in serving them to the utmost of its power;
May I be never ungrateful;
May jealousy never approach me;
May my longing be always for assimilating the virtues of others; and
May the eyes never alight on their faults !
Whether people speak of me well or ill;
Whether wealth comes to me or departs;
Whether I live to be hundreds of thousand years old;
Or I give up the ghost this day;
Whether any one holds out any kind of fear;
Or with worldly riches he tempts me;
In the face of all these possible things may my footsteps swerve not from the path of truth !
With pleasure may the mind be not puffed up;
Let pain disturb it never;
May the awesome loneliness of a mountain, forest or river,
Or a burning place, never cause it a shiver.
Unmoved, unshakable, firmness may it grow adamantine,
And display true moral strength when parted from the desired thing, or united with what is undesired !
May happiness be the lot of all;
May distress come near none;
Giving up hatred, sin and pride;
May the world pour forth one continuous eternal beam of delight;
May Dharma become the main topic of conversation in every household;
May evil cease to be easily-wrought;
May increase of wisdom and merit of works,
May men realize the purpose of human life Moksha !
May distress and suffering no longer exist,
May it rain in time;
May the king also be righteously inclined;
And impartially administer justice to the subjects;
May disease, epidemics and famines cease;
May people live in peace;
May the exalted Ahimsa dharma prevail;
And the Gospel of mercy - Ahimsa Parmo Dharma (not injuring anyone is the highest religion) become the source of good to all !
May there be mutual love in the world;
May delusion dwell at a distance;
May no one ever utter unpleasant speech;
Or words that arte harsh, with his tongue;
May men, heroes of the time;
Whole-heartedly work in the country's cause;
May all understand the Laws of Truth;
And joyfully sorrow and suffering endure
Who has discovered upon the teaching of Right Path of liberation for the benefit of all in a quite unselfish manner;
Who is variously termed Budha, Mahavir, Jina, Hari, Hara, Brahma and self;
In Him, imbued with deep devotion, may this mind (of mine) eternally dwell !
Those who have no longing left for sense produced pleasure;
Who are rich in quality of equanimity;
Who are day and night engaged in encompassing the good of all-their own as well as of others;
Who undergo the severe penance of self-effacement without finding-such Enlightened Saints, verily, conquer the pain and misery of mundane existence !
May I always associate with with such aforesaid Holy men;
May my mind be constantly occupied with their contemplation;
May the longing of my heart be always to tread in their footsteps;
May I also never cause pain to any living being;
May I never utter untruth; and
May I never covet the wealth or wife of another!
May I ever drink the nectar of contentment !
With pride may I never be elated, angry may I feel with none;
The sight of another's luck may not make me envious with his lot;
May my desire be ever for dealings fair and straight, and may my heart only delight in doing good to others to the best of my abilities all the days of my life !
May I always entertain a feeling of friendliness for all living beings in the world;
May the spring of sympathy in my heart be ever bubbling for those in agony and affliction;
may I never fell angry with the vile, the vicious and the wrongly-directed;
May there be such an adjustment of things sealing with them !
May my heart ever overflow with love at the sight of virtuous men;
May this mind (of mine) rejoice always in serving them to the utmost of its power;
May I be never ungrateful;
May jealousy never approach me;
May my longing be always for assimilating the virtues of others; and
May the eyes never alight on their faults !
Whether people speak of me well or ill;
Whether wealth comes to me or departs;
Whether I live to be hundreds of thousand years old;
Or I give up the ghost this day;
Whether any one holds out any kind of fear;
Or with worldly riches he tempts me;
In the face of all these possible things may my footsteps swerve not from the path of truth !
With pleasure may the mind be not puffed up;
Let pain disturb it never;
May the awesome loneliness of a mountain, forest or river,
Or a burning place, never cause it a shiver.
Unmoved, unshakable, firmness may it grow adamantine,
And display true moral strength when parted from the desired thing, or united with what is undesired !
May happiness be the lot of all;
May distress come near none;
Giving up hatred, sin and pride;
May the world pour forth one continuous eternal beam of delight;
May Dharma become the main topic of conversation in every household;
May evil cease to be easily-wrought;
May increase of wisdom and merit of works,
May men realize the purpose of human life Moksha !
May distress and suffering no longer exist,
May it rain in time;
May the king also be righteously inclined;
And impartially administer justice to the subjects;
May disease, epidemics and famines cease;
May people live in peace;
May the exalted Ahimsa dharma prevail;
And the Gospel of mercy - Ahimsa Parmo Dharma (not injuring anyone is the highest religion) become the source of good to all !
May there be mutual love in the world;
May delusion dwell at a distance;
May no one ever utter unpleasant speech;
Or words that arte harsh, with his tongue;
May men, heroes of the time;
Whole-heartedly work in the country's cause;
May all understand the Laws of Truth;
And joyfully sorrow and suffering endure
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)