Pratima (Jainism)
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Sanskrit: प्रतिमा) is a step or a stage marking the spiritual rise of a lay person (shravak). There are eleven such steps called pratima.[1] After passing the eleven steps, one is no longer a sravaka, but a muni (monk
).
Rules prescribed for laymen are divided into twelve vrata (vows) and eleven pratimas (steps)shravakacharas).[3]
The pratimas are mentioned in several ancient texts like
Ratnakaranda Shravakachara (2nd century A.D.).[4]
Twelve vows
The twelve vows are:
Head | Vow | Meaning |
---|---|---|
Five vows |
1. ahiṃsā | Not to hurt any living being by actions and thoughts |
2. satya | Not to lie or speak what is not commendable.[5] | |
3. asteya
|
Not to take anything if not given.[6] | |
4. brahmacharya | Chastity / Celibacy in action, words and thoughts | |
5. Aparigraha (Non-possession )
|
Detachment from material property. | |
Guņa vratas[7] |
6. digvrata | Restriction on movement with regard to directions. |
7. bhogopabhogaparimana | Vow of limiting consumable and non-consumable things | |
8. anartha-dandaviramana | Refraining from harmful occupations and activities (purposeless sins). | |
Śikşā vratas[8][7] |
9. samayika | Vow to meditate and concentrate periodically. |
10. desavrata | Limiting movement to certain places for a fixed period of time.[9] | |
11. upvas | Fasting at regular intervals. | |
12. atihti samvibhag | Vow of offering food to the ascetic and needy people |
Eleven Pratima
The eleven stages (pratima) are:[10]
- Darshan Pratima (Right perspective): The worship of the true God (i.e., tirthanhara,) guru (preceptor) and shastra (Scripture), and the avoidance of gambling, meat-eating, drinking (wine), adultery, hunting, thieving and debauchery.
- Vrat Pratima: The keeping of the twelve vows and the vow to observe sallekhana (at the end of one's life)
- Samayak Pratima (Periodic meditation): Engaging in meditation or worship on a regular basis.
- Proshadhopvas Pratima (periodic fasting): fasting four times in a month.
- Sachitta Tyaga Pratima: not eating vegetables having the capacity to grow again.
- Ratribhukti Tyaga Pratima (or Diva Maithun Tyaga Pratima): Giving up eating during the night or coitus during the day.
- Brahmacharya Pratima (celibacy): abstaining from sex or related activity.
- Arambha Tyaga Pratima (giving up occupations): refraining from any activity to earn a living.
- Parigraha Tyaga Pratima (giving up possessions): detachment from most possessions.
- Anurnati Tyaga Pratima (giving up right to give permissions): refraining from giving orders or expressing consents in the family.
- Uddishta Tyaga Pratima: The complete renunciation of the householder’s life, retiring into a forest and adopting the rules laid down for the guidance of monks.[11]
Ashadhara in his Sagara-Dharmammrata (13th century) has groups the 11 steps into three ranks.
- Grahin (jaghanya: first to sixth pratima)
- Varnin (madhyama: seventh to ninth pratima): At this point the householder is termed a Varni.
- Bhikshuka (uttama: tenth and eleventh pratima): At this point a person depends on others for daily survival.
Those who have ascended to the eleventh pratima are termed
Jain Muni
.
References
Citations
- ^ Shravakachar Sangrah, Five Volumes, Hiralal Jain Shastri, Jain Sanskruti Samrakshak Sangh Solapur, 1988
- ^ Champat Rai Jain 1917, p. 77.
- ^ Jaina yoga: a survey of the mediaeval śrāvakācāras By R. Williams
- ^ Upasakdashang aur uska Shravakachar, Subhash Kothari, Agam Ahimsa Samta Evam Prakrit Sansthan, Udaipur 1988
- ^ Vijay K. Jain 2012, p. 61.
- ^ Vijay K. Jain 2012, p. 68.
- ^ a b Vijay K. Jain 2012, p. 88.
- ^ Tukol 1976, p. 5.
- ^ Vijay K. Jain 2012, p. 90.
- ^ Champat Rai Jain 1917, p. 83.
- ^ Champat Rai Jain 1917, p. 84.
Sources
- Jain, Champat Rai (1917), The Practical Path, The Central Jaina Publishing House
- ISBN 978-81-903639-4-5,.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain