QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ON JAINISM :GENERAL TOPICS AND RITUALS

Youth Questions on Jainism

Youth Questions Posted by Pravin K.  Shah, Director - JAINA Education Committee (North America)

Answer by Prof. Vimal P. Jain, former Director, Bhogilal Leherchand Institute of Indology, Delhi, INDIA

General Topics

Qs.  1.  Jainism does not believe in Creator God.  Is it an atheistic Religion?

Jainism does not believe in a Creator God, However, it is not an atheistic religion.

Jain philosophy does not subscribe to the conception of Creator God.  This means there is no Godhead.  The universe has forever existed and will continue to exist by itself, All selves or living beings in whatever shape size, body or living conditions are totally independent and can potentially evolve into Godhood by their own effort; All selves are sovereign owners of the fruits, sufferings or enjoyments of their own deeds; No external power is capable of affecting any change in the destiny of living beings except their own present and past Karmas.  In a way it means that Jainism has substituted Karma for God.  Although this is the theoretical position, it is not so in the world of faith, actual practices in day-to-day life, and moral order of the universe.

The author of the Tattvartha–Sutra, Acarya Umaswati in his aphorism:  “Paraspara- upagraho- jivanam” ([2], 5.20) goes on to declare “souls influence each other through service which may be favorable or unfavorable, beneficial or harmful.  They cannot live independently of one another.  They have to share their pleasure or pain with others.  As partners in good and evil acts, they are jointly responsible; although they must bear the karmic results for the part they play.  They create a common environment and live together in weal and woe” (English translation of the aphorism from “That Which Is”).

In The Odes to the Tirthankaras the great Jain Sanskrit poets who composed the Odes viz.  Acarya Umaswati, Kundakunda, Siddhasena, Samantabhadra, Vadiraja, Jinasena, Akalanka, Vidyananda, Hemacandra and a host of others in the long line of composers have though time and again reiterated the philosophical stand that O Lord Tirthankara! I pray to you not because you can do anything to me, since you are neither pleased nor angered by whosoever may pray, not pray or abuse you, still I shall have benefit of coming to your shelter like taking the shelter under the shadow of a tree in the burning heat of a desert, by virtue of the merit earned by remembering and praising your virtues, which are my own virtues as well.  I am potentially one and identical with you.  This is exactly what the all time great Acarya Shankara Founder of Shaankara – Vedanta, repeats over and over again in his hymn of praise of Lord Shiva:  Shivo’ham, Shivo’ham, sadaanandarupam.

Philosophically also from the real or ideal-stand-point of view (niscaya-naya) the virtues of the pure soul are truly identical with those of the Cosmic Pure Soul, the Supreme Brahman, who is worshipped by all the incredibly great yogis, from Vyaasa and Vashishtha up to the modern yogis and saints of India, like Shri Ramkrishna Paramahansa, Swami Vivekananda, and Maharshi Aravinda including Mahatma Gandhi who was no lesser a yogi than any of the great saints.  This is the common running thread of the spiritual culture of India that all living beings on the planet, irrespective of the form of their body and their social, geographical station in life, have been treated as the same, one and identical with God, as different forms and manifestations of the Lord

All the religious moral values of kindness, compassion, sympathy, non-violence, mutual help, friendship, forgiveness, love, respect and tolerance etc., toward all living beings are values in their social context only i.e., in relation to the social milieu, all the world and the planet.  Otherwise they cease to be values.  The principle of inter-dependence of the whole universe, each particle of it, is not only a philosophical truth, it has been proved to be an incontrovertible scientific truth as well.

We are all pedestrians on the path of spiritual progress, and we can ill afford to forget Jainism is a religion, a way, for realization of the pure-self and experiencing the unknowable truth in ourselves.  On this path in the search for truth and the pure self, the higher one goes, all distinctions between the self and non-self, I, the individual soul and the Supreme-Soul melt away, and love of the Pure Self merges into oneness and love for the Cosmos.  Great Jain ächäryas on yoga and spiritualism are saying the same thing.

Quote:  Yah Paraatmaa sa evaaham, yo’ham saiva Paraatmanah, Ahameva mayopaasyah, naanyah kashciditisthitih.  (Poojyapada Samaadhitantra)

Jainism does not accept the authority of the Vedas as the undisputable sacred religious scriptures that have come down from an impersonal source.  In some way and to some extent, all the sacred religious scriptures according to the faith tradition they belong to, have been inspired by a divine source.  But these scriptures are replete with instances, episodes, and evidences that prove their composition by thoughtful human beings.  They are found to contain many self-contradictory statements.  Hence divine inspiration is no indisputable proof of the sanctity and authority of the scriptures.  The primary cause of the Jain rejection of the authority of the Veda is that Jainism does not contribute the system of animal sacrifice in the Vedic Yajnas.  Shrimat Bhagwad-Gita and some of the principle Upanishads do not accept the indisputable authority of the Vedas in spiritual-religious matters.  Again Jainism strongly condemns the social order of high and low caste by virtue of one’s birth from the womb of a mother belonging to any particular caste or social strata.  There are instances/quotes in the Mahabharata, which clearly go against the Vedic social order.  Jainism, like Buddhism, believes and accepts the high or low status of an individual squarely on the basis of one’s karmas and not according to birth.  It needs to be noted here that Mahãvira and Buddha both had disciples from all different strata’s of society from the Chändäla to the Brahmins.  A remarkable fact to remember is that all the eleven Ganadharas of Mahavira were highly erudite Brahmin scholars, deep and thorough in the Vedic lore.  On the other hand, Chändälas like Harikeshibala were also inducted as direct disciples of Mahävir.  They were highly respected in his order, and are stated to have attained Arhathood.

It is important to note that we do not find references to the Vedas in the Jain scriptures, just for the sake of condemnation.  It is Vedic violence and division of the whole Indian society into high and low castes by virtue of their birth alone that are condemned time and again in Jain texts.

In the light of what has been briefly stated above as the Jain concept of God, the interested reader can easily compare the concept in the six orthodox systems of Indian philosophy through the grief Quotes given here under for ready reference.

Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, in his book A Source Book In Indian Philosophy [1], the authoritative source on Indian philosophy, does not classify Jainism as an atheistic religion.  He preferred to call Jainism and Buddhism together as heterodox systems besides the six orthodox systems i.e.  Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Sankhya, Yoga, Purva Mimansa and Uttara-Mimansa (Vedanta).

The existence of God is the biggest, deepest, and most elaborately discussed question, vitally and emotionally related to human consciousness.  Development of the concept of God is neither linear nor chronological.  This question can be responded to, in the context of Indian schools of philosophy, by examining reference [1].  This will serve dual purposes:  one:  it will clarify this issue in the realm of Indian philosophical thought, and two, help Jains critically evaluate the Jain tradition on this issue in a wider philosophical context.  Consider the following excerpts from the above source book:

“In the 2^nd and 3^rd stages of development of the thought of the Rigveda is represented transition of the concept of God from naturalistic Polytheism[1] [2], to Monotheism[3] and then to Philosophical Monism[4], which constitutes the main Philosophic doctrine of the Veda later carried over into the Upanishads and eventually into the most highly developed of Indian thought:  the Vedanta…”

“The gradual idealization of the conception of God … the conception of the Rita or the unity of nature and the systematizing impulse of the human mind … helped toward the displacement of Polytheistic Anthropomorphism[5] by a spiritual monotheism …Whatever the personal value of a personal God may be, the truth sets up a different standard and requires a different object of worship.  Monotheism failed to satisfy the later Vedic thinkers.  And thus monotheism gave way to philosophical monism, the doctrine of the impersonal, unknowable

“Sankhya, Vaisheshika, Yoga and Purva Mimansa:  the original Sankhya says nothing about the possible existence of God, although it is emphatic in its doctrine of the theoretical 

indemonstrability of His existence; The Vaisheshika and Yoga, especially the latter, admit the existence of God, but do not consider him to be the Creator of the universe:  thePurva Mimansa speaks of God, but denies his importance and efficacy in the moral ordering of the world...” ([1], Introduction, pp xxvii)

“Jaimini, the author of the Mimansa Sutra (400 B.C.), admits the reality of Vedic deities, to whom sacrifices are offered, but does not argue for the existence of a Supreme-God.

He does not so much deny God as ignore Him.  Some later Mimansakas admit the reality of God.  Others, however, argue extensively against the existence and necessity of God, as for example, does Kumarila in the Shlokvartika.” ([1], pp 486)

“Prashastapada (3^rd cent A.D.), the author of Padarthsangraha, extensively argues in favor of the existence of God on the authority of the Veda and goes on to discuss the process of Creation by the Supreme Lord and the four faced Brahma, to whom the Supreme Lord assigns the duty of producing the various worlds.” ([1], pp 401)

“In the Nyaya  tradition, Udayanacharya (10^th cent.  A.D.), the author of Nyayakusumanjali (called as a contemplation of God) is the staunchest supporter of the existence of Ishwara, and that He is the cause of all creation and destruction.” ([1], pp 381)

Uttara Mimansa (Vedanta):  There are three specific schools of Vedanta, which we should know about to clearly understand what each one of them has to say about the conception of God, Self, the world, and Brahman.

According to Shaankara- “The world perceived is as real as the individual perceiver … the world is not non-existent.  It is not Abhava, or Shunya (void).  The world is not the ultimate reality.  Brahman is different from the space-time- cause world.

Brahman has nothing similar to it, nothing different from it and no internal differentiation, for all these are empirical distinctive.  Brahman is the non-empirical, non – objective, the wholly other, but it is not non –being.  It is the highest being.  With Shankara, Atman is the same as Brahman; the essence of the subject, the deepest part of our being, is one with the essence of the world.”

“The empirical world cannot exist by itself.  It is wholly dependent on Brahman, but the changes of the empirical order do not affect the integrity of Brahman.  The world depends on Brahman, but Brahman depends on nothing …” ([1], pp 507)

“The highest representation of absolute being through logical categories is Ishwara, the creator and governor of the universe; Brahman cast through the molds of logic, is Ishwara or Saguna- Brahman (Brahman with qualities), determinate Brahman.  Brahman, as the Absolute nirguna Brahman (quality less Brahman) is the basis of the phenomenal world, presided over by Ishwara.  In this empirical universe, we have God (Ishwara), selves, and the world.” ([1], pp 507)

“The individual self is the agent of activity.  It is the universal self or Atman limited or individuated by the object…” ([1], pp 507)

“According to Ramanuja (11^th cent.), the world, self and God are all real, but the world and the selves depend on God.  …They (God, selves, and the world) form a unity, as matter and selves have existence only as the body of Brahman.  Brahman is the self and controlling power of the body, which includes the world and the selves.  Apart from Brahman they are nothing.  The individual self and inanimate nature is essentially different from God, though they have no existence or purpose to serve apart from Him or His service.  Ramanuja’s theory, therefore, is a non–dualism with a difference, namely, that the one Brahman has two forms:  selves and matter.” According to him “the Supreme Brahman is personal.” ([1], pp 508)

“Madhva (1197-1276A.D.) holds that God, selves and the world exist permanently, but the latter two are subordinate to God and dependent on Him.  Brahman or God possesses all perfection and is identified with Vishnu The Supreme directs the world.  He is endowed with a supernatural body, and is regarded as transcendent to the world, as well as immanent in it, since He is the inner ruler of all the selves.” ([1], pp 508)

A careful study of the above excerpts illustrates that the six orthodox systems sooner or later admit the existence of God, with lesser or greater emphasis on His Creatorship of the world and also that He is the overlord, governor, and presiding deity of the universe.

According to Shankara, Vedanta Atman is the same as Brahman, and it is one with the essence of the world.  According to Ramanuja, Brahman is personal.

[1] A Source Book in Indian Philosophy, edited by Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan and Charles A.  Moore.

[2] Tattvartha Sutra,

Qs.2.  Does Jainism believe in predestination?  If not that can you explain (A)“Krama Baddha Paryaya” (KBP) and (B) the concept of Bhavya and Abhavya Jiva?

(A) Krama Baddha Paryaya (KBP):

Jainism does not believe in a philosophy OF PRE-DETERMINATION.  The doctrine of Karma properly understood, does not lead to the theory of pre-destination.  Out of the ten functions of Karmic energy that binds the soul only the 7th and 8th states of karmic bondage i.e. Nidhatti and Nikachana, are such in which little or no change can be affected in their intensity and period of fruition because of the severity and bitterness of passions (Kashäyas) and yoga at the time of bondage.  In the seventh state of Nidhatti also change is possible in the time-period and intensity of fruition.  It is only the 8th state of Nikachana alone, in which no change of any sort is said to be possible in the time and intensity of fruition of the karmas, But such karmas are few and far between and indeed be performed by very few people.

Jainism has placed a lot of emphasis on the inherent tendency of the soul to move upwards into Siddhahood.  It is possessed of the discretion to choose what to do or not to do and the power to move along the chosen path and not just follow the instincts due to the rise of certain passions.  This power of discretion and move along the chosen path is, that force of spiritual development which cannot be obstructed by any other out side agency.

Now take up the case of krama-baddha-paryaya.  (kbp) What is kbp?  It is the natural principle that modes of things come into existence and go away from moment to moment in a gradual order, in which no mode jumps over a coming mode in time and space.  This is the usual order of things living or nonliving “utpada-vyaya-dhrauvya yuktam sat”; in case no outer agency interferes.  But in case an outside power living or non-living comes into play, say a wildfire, an earthquake, a bomb, and an ordinary or violent accident by nature, or some great human effort, of which there are numerous examples; then things do change violently, instantly and unrecognizably.  In such cases a kbp cannot survive.  Now take the case of human beings:  where this is especially applied by the propagandists.  The kbp is O.K., unless and until the soul makes effort to change his/her own spiritual or worldly destiny.  Once the soul is awakened to its inherent potential of the infinite power within, to choose a destiny not given by nature, by parentage, by a society or country, and the soul endeavors to cut out a different path; no power on earth can stop that soul from achieving what it sets as the goal:  be that becoming a billionaire, a Lincoln, a Gandhi, a Mandela, a Martin Luther King Jr.’ or a Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Mao-Tze Tung; or a Buddha and Mahavira.

They have all been human beings, most faced with abject poverty, wretched social conditions and had whole empires to fight against.  But they did succeed and changed the course of human history.  No kbp ever stood in their way.  There are infinite number of stories singing the glory of man and his endeavor that he was not daunted by all the Himalayan powers against him.

The talk of kbp, therefore, is deadly opposed to the fundamental-principles of Jainism, which has preferred to stand even against God and still thrived in the land of its birth then submit to any extraneous agency and has maintained the supremacy of its spirit and its powers.

The work of P.K. Shah, Director Jaina Studies, USA, is worth being quoted as an example of human endeavor against kbp.  Now think for a moment what would have been the kbp of the 2nd generation Jains born and brought up in this land.  Most would know nothing of what Jainism is all about.  They would either merge with the larger Hindu-dharma and community or would convert to one or the other aggressive forms of Christianity.

(B) Bhavya and abhavya Jivas:  This concept of two special categories of living beings is peculiar to Jainism and Buddhism:  A bhavya Jiva (A kalyana prithagjana in Buddhist terminology) means a living being who is capable of attaining Moksha or Nirvana by his own efforts.  An Abhavya Jiva (Andha prithagjana in Buddhism) means a Jiva who will never achieve liberation because that living being is incapable of putting the necessary effort in that direction.

Qs.  3.  Does Jainism believe in group Karma?  How can you explain the suffering of a group of people at the same time in a common disaster?

Jainism believes in group -karma.  Right now the proper texts are not available to quote from.  7 volumes dedicated to various aspects of Jain Dharma according to 4 Anuyogas: 

Prathama, Charana, Karana and Dravyanuyoga, have been published by Jainagama Prakāshana Samiti and edited by Dr.  Sagarmal Jain. 

This topic has been discussed in details.  I do not recall the exact subtitle under which this topic has been discussed.  Explanation of the sufferings of an individual or collective disaster is a very complicated matter.  The doctrine of Karma is not a simple solution.  We can’t explain events beyond the control of human knowledge and efforts on the basis of individual karma alone; or relegate to destiny, or to natural disasters, Such natural happenings like the Tsunami or the Katrina or the floods in Bombay, Baroda and elsewhere have to be credited to the fury of nature, not destiny.  There are hundreds of thousands of man- made disasters too:  the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki; the division of the Indian sub-continent preceded and followed by inhuman carnage, the ethnic violence in Bosnia, Kosovo, Rwanda and now in Sudan and many other places, and the violence perpetrated by the likes of Hitler, were /are man made.  Where do we classify them?  Under what category?  Wars imposed, instigated, conducted by kings, Emperors, warlords and chieftains; the crusades for winning over lands, and force-conversion of people, by the so-called most civilized of the modern world come under the same unidentifiable category.

The more pertinent question is where do we put the many day to day, now and then happening vehicle accidents, or individual murders from the victims’ perspective?  These are matters we can’t explain out easily.  In all events, numerous factors, known and unknown and as many actors play their role together, which is not easy to pin point.  So we can’t take this question to a logical end.

Qs.  4.  Is Jainism a selfish religion?  It emphasizes only personal spiritual progress but does not emphasize helping poor and needy.

Jainism is not selfish either on the surface or in theory.  It does emphasize personal spiritual progress and doesn’t give enough emphasis to helping poor and the needy.  But the same is not true in practice.  Jain community and religiously inclined individual Jain shreshthis (traders, businessmen, big farmers and landlords are known to have been most charitable, kind hearted, helpful people.  Most Pinjarapoles, Goshalas, orphanages, dharmashalas, wayside resting inns, fruit gardens, are known to have been founded, run and maintained by the Jain community all over the country.  And since Jains have always been known to be absolutely honest, loyal and expert financial-economic advisers and estate/ treasury managers and keepers in the history of stately India, when the country was divided into hundreds of big and small kingdoms, some powerful empires and princely states all through the ancient, medieval, up to modern period before the advent of the British, it were mostly Jain religious householders, who were appointed as ministers, chief ministers, prime ministers, state treasurers, financial advisers and in some cases even military commanders because of their impeccable character.  On them the King could hold blind faith a faith that was never betrayed).  They always advised the kings to adopt fiscal and other policies that will always be in the best interest of both the common people and the state and never against them.  Their true religiosity, their honesty, truthfulness and charitable nature always made them helpful to the common people though never the missionaries of their religion.  This may also be noted that many Jain young men and women, the Jain community as a whole, even some Jain saints (example revered Ganesh Prasadji Varni of Madhya Pradesh) were on the forefront of India’s struggle for freedom.

Also, we can’t forget to enlighten our young generation of the other side:  the dark pages of the history of missionaries all over the world, which is a story soaked in blood by the massacre, heinous crimes, religious inquisitions, oppression, exploitation, slavery and inhuman treatment of the common people for the twin purposes of political victory and enmass conversion to their faith; while all pages of history of the Jains, the Jain religion and the community are nothing but bright, glorious and shining.

The ultra money mindedness, selfishness, callousness about social, moral, religious, spiritual values and things like that are a product of the past 65-70 years of modern Indian History when communal turmoil and political corruption in high places took over the country.  Displaced refugees from North-West India and the Bangladeshis spread all over the country with their values or lack of values, their way of life and culture.  The influx of refugees had its Unimaginable negative impact on all of the Indian society including the Jain community.  Not far back in current history there was time when pronouncing the name “Jain” was more than enough proof for the truth, honesty and character of the person even in the Law courts of India.  We have lost all that during the past 6-7 decades.  But the most fortunate and lucky thing that has happened is the JAINA, the way it is working and developing all over the globe outside of India, and the establishment of Jain-Päthashalas all over the U.S.A.  They are doing a highly commendable work, which is going to have its positive impact sooner rather then later.  And finally let us remember that the Jain Way of Life by itself helps protect, preserve and purify the whole environment of the cosmos, physically psychologically and spiritually.  It is now scientifically proved by different branches of science, especially the environmental, numerology, psychology, psycho-analysis and medicine.  We do not need to overemphasize that the Jain emphasis on non-violence, non-absolutism, i.e., tolerance qualified with respect for other faiths, philosophies and moral spiritual values certainly paves the way for a happy, prosperous and peaceful coexistence, sustainable growth and development and survival of the planet without damaging it any more than we have already done.  We Jains, therefore, need not fight shy nor need to be apologists for our values and way of life, for not laying over emphasis on missionary activities, and then kill, enslave, convert and overrun whole countries and continents in the name of God and religion.  and annihilate the infidels from the face of the earth as the terrorists intend to do all over the world.

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[1] Naturalistic Polytheism:  Belief that forces of nature have divine powers, and there are many more gods over and above nature and they are all worshipable.

[2] Polytheism:  Belief in many gods.

[3] Monotheism:  The doctrine or belief that there is but one God.

[4] Philosophical Monism:  A view that there is only one kind of ultimate substance; also the view that reality is one organic whole, with no independent parts.

[5] Polytheistic Anthropomorphism:  An interpretation of what is not human or personal in terms of human or personal characteristics.

Rituals

Qs. 1. Are traditional rituals of India applicable to America?

Basically Jainism is not a ritualistic religion and is not dependent on rituals as other religions do.  Jainism, in fact, stood up to fight against Vedic rituals.  Bhagavan Mahãvira has not laid any emphasis on the rituals.  He did not commit himself to any ritual as such.  He took to penances, austerities and fasts not for rituals’ sake, but for the purpose of self-enlightenment and self-purification.  Renounced the world to free himself from the shackles of Karmas and the cycle of transmigration; faced man made and nature created inflictions of all sorts and dangers to his life and practices that came his way to win over human weaknesses.  He never committed fasts, penances and meditation for the purpose of observing the age old tradition followed by his predecessors.  And once the goal of enlightenment was achieved, he reverted to the normal life of an enlightened soul like Pärshvanäth and others before him.

Mahãvira passed away 2533 years prior to 2006 A.D.  His followers have adopted practices mostly observed by him, but overlooked the real purpose.  The Keshi-Gautam dialogue recorded in the 23^rd chapter of the Uttaraddhyana is an eye opener.  That nudity or clothes, the Chaturyäma dharma of four vows laid down by Parshvanatha and the Pancha- shaikshic dharma preached by Mahavira, the two paths are the same.  They are both means to an end, not an end in themselves.  Modern Jains have adopted numerous practices and rituals as if they are the purpose in themselves.  Many rituals have been adopted through the influence of contemporary Hindu and Buddhist communities.  The aim of all Jain practices is the awakening and realization of the potential virtues of our soul.  The repetition of names and virtues of the Tirthankaras serves but little purpose.  Meditation upon the virtues to awaken them in the self is the objective of the rituals we perform in the temples, sthanakas or at home and nothing else, Of course, neatness and cleanliness of the body, the clothes and the place is a must.  Circumstances and situations were different in olden days.  Places were not that clean.  Bathrooms, toilets, showers and urinals didn’t use to be that clean as they are today, especially in the U.S.A.  Cleanliness as much as possible, is good for everyone.  Silk-clothes are not OK for the Jains to put on in any religious ceremony in the temple or anywhere else, even ordinarily at home, because so much violence is involved in their production

Traditional rituals of India:  Applicability in America?  Not clear.

However this should be understood, noisy celebrations of any kind and exhibitionism does not enhance the cause of religion.

Qs.  2.  What is the significance of traditional rituals: Pratikramana, Pujā, Chaityavandan, and Sämäyika?

Pratikramana is very important.  It mean praying for forgiveness in front of a guru or in the temple etc., and retrace one’s steps if any wrongs or violence has been committed knowingly or unknowingly against any category of living beings, physically, vocally or mentally in any way

by oneself, instigated or indifferently watched without making all possible efforts to stop violence from being inflicted on humans or animals anywhere.

The text of the Pratikramana sutra as it has come down to us is exorbitantly elaborate and mostly a repetition of the same thing over and over again, with few changes of a set of words or a clause here and there.  Hence it takes too long:  six to ten hours of continuous reading by someone perfectly adept in recitation of the Prakrit text.  It will be more purposeful and powerful if it were summarized and prepared meaningfully by competent persons.

Pujā:  As I said, is for remembering the virtues of the pure souls of Tirthankaras, Arhantas, Siddhas and the ideals that we hold so dear to our heart and soul, in order to awaken and strengthen our lives with those virtues, as we are all potentially endowed with them.

Chaityavandana:  Chaityas were ancient temples and sacred places where some Arhantas/acāryas performed penances and passed away in the state of Samādhi.  Naturally Chaityavandana is offering obeisance to the sacred souls and places related to them.  ( In case it is not correct, necessary corrections may be made).

Sāmāyika is in fact the very sum and substance of all Pujā, Vandana, and Aarti, etc.  It means meditating upon the self.  Sāmāyika Pātha is an easy verbal form of Sāmāyika meditation.

Qs.  3.  Why most of our traditional rituals are still written in Prakrit language?  Why they are not available in the language that we understand?

Prakrit was the dialect of the common people at the time the rituals were written down.  So they were written in Prakrit to make their meanings understandable to the readers.  That is why Mahavira used Prakrit as the medium of his teachings, so that all his audiences could understand and follow.  He didn’t use Sanskrit the language of the so-called cultured Pundits of his age.  He didn’t want any secrecy or difficulty to be felt about the theory and practice of his religion and philosophy.  Prakrit was treated as a sacred language by his followers for many centuries.  Prakrit was spoken in various forms in different areas of the country and kept changing with the march of time.  From the Prakrits developed later forms of Apabhramsha and thence most of modern Indian dialects, except those of the south, eg., Tamil, Telugu, Tulu and Malayalam.  These dialects are forms of ancient Dravidian Languages.  Oriya and Kannada also belong to earlier forms of Prakrit dialects.

The rituals can and should be written and translated into modern Indian dialects:  Hindi, Gujarati, Rajasthani, Marathi, etc.  and English.  A number of pujās, etc., have already been done in Hindi, and Gujarati.  There is absolutely no restriction in doing this.

Qs.  4.  Most of the adults perform Jain rituals without actually understanding them.  Does it help?

Performance of rituals without understanding them has little value.  However, the practice and discipline generated by observing them religiously is absolutely meaningful.  They leave a psychological imprint on the mind that in turn gives a lot of mental peace and satisfaction, which by itself is a great achievement.  Rituals, temples and ceremonies have preserved Jainism as a living religion even through difficult periods for the Jains in Indian History.

Qs.  5.  What is the significance of Muhapatti?  Why Shvetāmbar ascetics give it great importance?

The Muhapatti serves a dual purpose.  One is non-violence toward the very minute living beings from entering the nose and/or mouth and the second is to give a different identity to the sect.

Qs.  6.  Do our daily rituals contain yoga and meditation?  If yes, why are we not informed about them and why there is no emphasis on physical exercise?

Yoga and Meditation are indeed an integral part of the daily religious routine of the Jains.  All Jain rituals from their 1^st entry into the temple, bowing down, salutation, worship and Odes to the Tirthankaras are forms of bhakti yoga.  Over the course of centuries we forgot the exact yogic postures.  Breathing exercises were partially forbidden in some of our religious books.  It has been stated that some yogic exercises, especially the practices of breathing distract the mind from pure meditation, and should therefore not be taken in the absence of a proper guide.  We know, the whole life of Mahavira, since he was a young prince in the parental mansion, and afterwards the 12 and half years of penances as an ascetic were a perfect example of yoga and Meditation.  He meditated even while walking, let alone in different sitting and standing postures, especially recommended for the yoga of meditation.  Mahaviras’ life had been totally transformed into that of a self realized yogi.  In the Saptarshi-Puja, many yogic postures are mentioned by name.

Another sound reason for forbidding deep practices of yoga was that unimaginably miraculous powers are said to accrue from deep and long practices of yoga.  That is why to avoid diversion of the minds of Jain Munis to anything other than meditation on the nature of pure self, the Jainacharyas, Upadhyayas and senior monks knowingly stopped giving emphasis on yoga.

Even so Acharya Haribhadra, Shubhachandra, Hemachandra and several modern Jainacharyas in Gujarat have dealt with yoga and yogic practices, especially Pranayama and many specific meditative postures that should be adopted by travelers on the path of spiritual evolution

Revered Acharya Mahaprajna, head of the Terapantha Sthanakvasi sect, is reviving yoga in his Sangha as well as among all householders, through his trained Samanas and Samanis.

Qs.  7.  Why don’t Jains uniformly celebrate Paryushana/Dashalaxana holidays in America?

These Parvas are celebrated on different days not only in the US,, but also in India.  The reasons lie in the history of division of the Jain Sangha into Shewtambara and Digambara and the purpose might have been to clarify the lines of demarcation among the two Sanghas.

Qs.  8.  Explain the two colors (white and red) of the Jain Dhvaja (Flag):

White is the color of purity of the Soul.  It is also the color of light, i.e.,knowledge and enlightenment; red is the color of the heart.  So the two colors of the Jaina Dhvaja seem to me to be a symbol of renouncement of passions of (attachment and aversion) of the heart to the soul; in order to achieve the state of total freedom from passions, attachment and aversion to absolute Passion-less-ness.

Qs.  9.  The Shape of the Ghoommata of Jain Temples:

The Ghoommata (shikhara) is a symbol of the flight of the enlightened soul straight up in space to the Lokagra (i.e.  Salvation:  siddhashila) in one single moment like a ray of light, and hence the shape of the ghoommata is pointed toward the skies at the top and not round or oval as of the mosques.

Qs.  10.  Pradakshina in Temple:

Pradakshina is a mark of high reverence.  We keep the one whom we revere to our right and never to the left.  The number 108 is an auspicious number, according to the science of numerology:  a science our ancient acaryas like Yati Vrishabha and many others were great masters of.  This is one reason our sacred texts have mentioned that the Tirthankaras are endowed with 108 virtues.

The number 108 is also very important from the point of ancient mythologies.  The late American Philosopher Joseph Campbell has mentioned the importance of this number as well the number “9” in his lectures on “Transformation of Myths through Time”.

Those who are interested in learning about the numerological significance of the number 108, can refer to online where many examples can be found.

Qs.  11.  Why do we perform Vasakshepa–Puja?

This is as far as I understand, an adoption of the Hindu ritual of blessing by the temple priests who put the red mark on the forehead of devotees

Qs.  12.  How many times should we repeat the Namokara Mantra and why?

As stated above the Namokara mantra or any other mantras for that matter should be repeated 108 times.  It can also be the other prime number “9” or a multiple of this number like 27, because of their numerological value and significance.

Qs.  13 Ghee Boli (auctioning) on various religious occasions:  Is it a religious act?

Ghee Boli is not a religious act but it is not irreligious either.  It is an honorable method devised to collect money at the time of religious ceremonies.  The largest amount offered by any member of the audience for Ghee Boli, gives a name fame, respect and honor to the highest bidder in the community.  It has been associated with Dharmadaana for the same reason.

Qs.  14.  What happens to collection of funds for Jain institutions and other religious purposes in case Ghee Boli is not there?

In that case collection of funds will become difficult, because then the element of religious self - satisfaction and honor for the highest bidder in the community will have been lost.  Few will be interested in donation in the name of a Ghee Boli without the tag of their name and recognition attached to it.  Ghee Boli therefore is the bestand most honorable way for fund collection.

And because the money so collected is used for purely religious purposes, Ghee Boli has been rightly called Dharmadana