Jainism Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ===Rituals and worship=== {{Main|Jain rituals}} [[File:Shravanbelgola Gomateshvara feet prayer1.jpg|thumb|left|Praying at the feet of a statue of [[Bahubali]]]] There are many rituals in Jainism's various sects. According to Dundas, the ritualistic lay path among ΕvΔtΔmbara Jains is "heavily imbued with ascetic values", where the rituals either revere or celebrate the ascetic life of tirthankaras, or progressively approach the psychological and physical life of an ascetic.{{sfn|Dundas|2002|pp=187β189}}{{sfn|Jaini|1998|pp=162β165, 295β296}} The ultimate ritual is ''sallekhana'', a religious death through ascetic abandonment of food and drinks.{{sfn|Dundas|2002|pp=187β189}} The Digambara Jains follow the same theme, but the life cycle and religious rituals are closer to a Hindu liturgy.{{sfn|Dundas|2002|pp=187β189}} The overlap is mainly in the life cycle (rites-of-passage) rituals, and likely developed because Jain and Hindu societies overlapped, and rituals were viewed as necessary and secular.{{sfn|Jaini|1998|pp=291β299}}{{sfn|Wiley|2009|pp=186β187}} Jains ritually worship numerous deities,{{sfn|Jaini|1998|pp=162β165, 295β296}} especially the ''[[Arihant (Jainism)|Jinas]]''. In Jainism a ''Jina'' as ''deva'' is not an [[avatar]] (incarnation), but the highest state of omniscience that an ascetic ''tirthankara'' achieved.{{sfn|Jaini|1998|pp=295β299}} Out of the 24 tirthankaras, Jains predominantly worship four: MahΔvΔ«ra, [[Parshvanatha]], [[Neminatha]] and [[Rishabhanatha]].{{sfn|Dundas|2002|p=40}} Among the non-''tirthankara'' saints, devotional worship is common for [[Bahubali]] among the Digambaras.{{sfn|Cort|2010|pp=182β184}} The ''[[Panch Kalyanaka]]'' rituals remember the five life events of the ''tirthankaras'', including the ''[[Panch Kalyanaka Pratishtha Mahotsava]]'', ''Panch Kalyanaka Puja'' and ''Snatrapuja''.{{sfn|Jaini|1998|pp=196, 343, 347}}{{sfn|Jaini|1998|pp=196β199}} [[File:A Jain ritual offerings and puja recital at a temple, worship in Jainism.jpg|thumb|upright|Jain worship may include ritual offerings and recitals.{{sfn|Wiley|2009|pp=45β46, 215}}]] The basic ritual is ''darsana'' (seeing) of ''deva'', which includes Jina,{{sfn|Lindsay Jones|2005|p=4771}} or other [[Yaksha|yaksas]], gods and goddesses such as Brahmadeva, 52 Viras, [[Padmavati (Jainism)|Padmavati]], [[Ambika (Jainism)|Ambika]] and 16 Vidyadevis (including [[Sarasvati]] and [[Lakshmi]]).{{sfn|Wiley|2009|pp=33, 59, 92, 138, 191}}{{sfn|Cort|1987|pp=235β255}}{{sfn|Mishra|Ray|2016|pp=141β148}} Terapanthi Digambaras limit their ritual worship to tirthankaras.{{sfn|Dalal|2010a|p=365}} The worship ritual is called ''devapuja'', and is found in all Jain sub-traditions.{{sfn|Jaini|1998|pp=199β200}} Typically, the Jain layperson enters the Derasar (Jain temple) inner sanctum in simple clothing and bare feet with a plate filled with offerings, bows down, says the [[namaskar]], completes his or her litany and prayers, sometimes is assisted by the temple priest, leaves the offerings and then departs.{{sfn|Jaini|1998|pp=199β200}} Jain practices include performing ''[[abhisheka]]'' (ceremonial bath) of the images.{{sfn|Pratapaditya Pal|1986|p=29}} Some Jain sects employ a ''pujari'' (also called ''upadhye''), who may be a Hindu, to perform priestly duties at the temple.{{sfn|Dundas|2002|pp=204β205}}{{sfn|Salvadori|1989|pp=169β170}} More elaborate worship includes offerings such as rice, fresh and dry fruits, flowers, coconut, sweets, and money. Some may light up a lamp with camphor and make auspicious marks with sandalwood paste. Devotees also recite Jain texts, particularly the life stories of the tirthankaras.{{sfn|Babb|1996|pp=32β33}}{{sfn|Wiley|2009|pp=45β46, 215}} Traditional Jains, like Buddhists and Hindus, believe in the efficacy of [[mantra]]s and that certain sounds and words are inherently auspicious, powerful and spiritual.{{sfn|Dundas|2002|pp=81β82}}{{sfn|Nayanar|2005|p=35}} The most famous of the mantras, broadly accepted in various sects of Jainism, is the "five homage" (''[[Namokar Mantra|panca namaskara]]'') mantra which is believed to be eternal and existent since the first tirthankara's time.{{sfn|Dundas|2002|pp=81β82}}{{sfn|Voorst|2015|p=107}} Medieval worship practices included making tantric diagrams of the ''Rishi-mandala'' including the ''tirthankaras''.{{sfn|Gough|2012|pp=1β47}} The Jain tantric traditions use mantra and rituals that are believed to accrue merit for rebirth realms.{{sfn|Cort|2001b|pp=417β419}} Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. 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