Dear Sadharmik brothers and sisters,
Jai Jinendra!

Today is the most important day of the year where we get to shed evils within us and seek forgiveness from all beings. Jainism is a unique religion. Jain religion gives us many opportunities to clean our souls, live a happy and peaceful life. On behalf of JAINA EC and BOD, if we have knowingly or unknowingly hurt you over the past year, we seek your forgiveness. Michhami Dukkadam!

Let’s learn about 1) Jiv Vichar Gatha 8th that explains about Vanaspatikaya jiva, 2) an article on Kshamapna by Dr. Kumarpal Desai and 3) the other two subdivisions of Kashayas.

On Samvatsari day, listen to the morning lectures by Dr. Kumarpal Desai and Dr. Jintendra Shah. The links are mentioned below.

Please find the joining details of English Pratikraman, Deravasi Pratikraman, Sthanakvasi Aloyana and Pratikraman, and Achal Gach Pratikraman for the Samvantsari day.

Please fill out the Tapasvis Recognition Form by August 22nd, 8:00 PM PST. Details are mentioned below.

Tomorrow is the first day of Das Lakshana Parva and I wish all of you to celebrate the same in high spirits and live Jain Way of Life. The Tapasvi Recognition Form will be sent during Das Lakshana as well.

Please take a note that we will have a lecture in Gujarati & Hindi on Saturday, August 22nd, 2020.

Please see YJA updates regarding Samvatsari Pratikraman and other information given below.

Sincerely,
Mahesh Wadher
JAINA President

Gatha 8th

जीवा मुत्ता संसारिणो य, तस थावरा य संसारी|
पुढवी जल जलण वाउ, वणस्सई थावरा नेया||

In this stanza, the fifth and final types of Sthavara jiva i.e. Vanaspatikaya jiva are defined and explained.

Vanaspatikaya jiva are living beings that have vegetables or flora as their bodies, also known as vegetal bodies. They are classified into two groups as stated in the Jain scriptures:

i. Sadharana vanaspatikaya
ii. Pratyeka vanaspatikaya

Sadharana vanaspatikaya means infinite souls sharing a common single body, wherein infinite living beings are integrated into one single body, also known as Anankaya

Jain Philosophy harbors deep thinking on Kshama (forgiveness). Forgiveness is called the mother of all good qualities in a man. It brings us many virtues. The forgiveness ends greed, attracts sense of Tyag (renunciation), and straightforwardness, it spawns Vinay (Humility) and a sense of satisfaction. Looking at another way, all these qualities are essential to cultivating forgiveness in us.

One meaning of Kshama is to be Nirgrantha (free of mental knots) or undoing or destroying of knots. In our lives, there are many knots. There are knots of pride or revenge. There are differences of opinions or mental tensions. Man suffers from a variety of mental illnesses. If you examine sugarcane, you find no sweetness where a knot exists. For this reason, relations between people are weak and of little sweetness. There is a solution to awaken relationships. – Kshama. From the time of the second Tirthankara to the twenty-third Tirthankara the life was straightforward. People apologized when they made mistakes. But today’s life is complicated. Man is not at peace and he disturbs the world around him. Knowingly or unknowingly, pride, anger, or desires creep in. If not by the act, then by speech, and if not by speech then by thoughts.

Great Acharya Haribhadrasuriji was so overtaken by grief and anger after learning of the killing of two of his favorite disciples that he made preparations to put to death 1444 disciples of his opponent by immersing them in hot boiling oil. At that time Sadhvi Yakini Mahatta reminded him of the consequences of taking a human life knowingly. The anger subsided in the mind of the sage and contrition, and in repentance, he penned 1444 shastras. Example of Anger transformed into forgiveness.

Forgiveness is the measure of one’s religiosity. How much of the teachings of Dharma is internalized is verified by the growth towards attitude for Kshama? It is a barometer for Kshama. In the absence of Kshama, all of the penance, renunciation, meditation fails to bear any fruit. Kshama is the true nature of the soul that is corrupted by Anger and passion. Just as “coolness” is the nature of the water, but it warms up when it comes in contact with heat or fire. Soon as it rids of the source of heat, it returns to its instinctive cooler state. The coolness in water does not require any external aid because that is its nature.

Similarly, Kshama is the resident quality of the soul. It does not need any external instruments. But just as heat seeps in the water, the soul’s natural tendency is distorted due to the rise of anger or passions, but that distortion is not its natural instinct.

Just as the absence of proximity to fire results in lowering of the temperature, similarly absence of Anger or passion distortions are weakened. Man is happy when he is venturing in his natural instincts because happiness manifests from the inner qualities of the soul. When he veers off his natural instincts and enters the realm of others, he becomes unhappy.

Thus, Anger is not the nature of the soul but is the yield of combining with other entities and is damaging to the soul. So, there is nothing more dangerous than Anger and nothing is as beneficial as Kshama. Anger causes fall from grace not only in this life but results in a bad place in the future lives of the soul. Kshama is described as:

The highest expression of forgiveness is beneficial in all the three realms and the prevention of bad placement in future lives.

In Jain Dharma, aspirants are instructed to not even swallow spit until you have asked for forgiveness for your trespassing (Mistakes). To love the one who has wronged you is the test by fire for forgiveness. Jain philosophy says Kshama should be the simple act, not a deceptive one. Asking for Kshama should be devoid of even a momentary pain or hurtful to the soul. In the pathways of life whatever increases love and removes animosity is Kshama. When Internal vibrations are pleasant, and the external world seems amiable you have mastered forgiveness.

Michhami Dukkadam means to commit to staying away forever from the mistakes for which you sought forgiveness or expressed remorse or the sins that caused you to repent.

In “Avashyak Niryukti” Acharya Shri cautions in plain language that “An aspirant who once said Micchami Dukkadam for a particular infringement but indulges in it again, he was obviously lying. Is weaving a web of deceit”

Thus, one has to ask for Kshama and grant Kshama. Both of these acts have different results. It is a bit easier to ask than to give Kshama. In asking for Kshama, one has to dissolve his pride. The other person may or may not forgive but the act of asking does lighten one’s soul. In asking for Kshama, it is not sufficient to be forbearing or just coming to a state of calmness but to suppress any offending thoughts going forward. It is hard asking for Kshama because man harbors in his soul revenge and animosity. Man is deeply hurt by the injustice meted out by the other.

In other religions, one is asked to beg for forgiveness from God or the religious leaders. In Jain Dharma, the teaching is to beg forgiveness from all living beings. It is easier to beg for forgiveness in silence and the privacy of a Temple. But to ask for forgiveness from big or small lives surrounding you transforms one’s lifestyle. A person recognizes connections with all the lives surrounding him. A person relates to the relationships with all the living beings of the world. Let us harbor such noble internal instincts and say Michhami Dukkadam.

- Dr. Kumarpal Desai

3. Pratyakhyani - This is the third stage of the excitement of Kasya. This excitement is mild. When the more intense Kashayas become powerless and thin, this third stage is reached.

So long as man has mild kashayas, he cannot be an ascetic in reality. A mild kashaya is like a line drawn on sand. The line drawn on sand can be erased with less effort than that required in erasing a line drawn on earth. Similarly, a man can save himself from Kashaya with a little more discretion and watchfulness.

4. Samjivalana - The excitement in this Kashaya, is very mild. It is called ‘Samjvalana’. This is the fourth stage of the Kashaya.

This Kashaya is like a line drawn on water. The line gets erased before it is completely drawn. As long as this very mild Kashaya is there, non-attachment cannot be achieved. When the Kashayas of these four types become annihilated, then only one can become detached.

Source: www.jinalaya.com

Listen to today's lectures by Dr. Kumarpal Desai in Gujrati, by Dr. Jitendra Shah in Hindi and by Dr. Bipin Doshi in English. For the schedules and joining details please visit:
https://www.jaina.org/page/ParyushanMahaparv2020

Please note that we will have a lecture in Gujarati by Dr. Kumarpal Desai & in Hindi by Dr. Jitendra Shah on Saturday, August 22nd, 2020 at the same time as usual 8 am PST / 10 am CDT / 11 am EST

With the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, Jain Centers across the country are having to cancel their planned activities for the 2020 Paryushan Mahaparv. In the absence of these activities, JAINA has coordinated many virtual events for you to participate in. We are offering daily lectures and virtual Samvatsari Pratikaman for Deravasi, Sthanakvasi, and in English for participants in East, Central and West Timezones

There is no need to register for Deravasi, Aloyana or Sthanakvasi Pratikramans. To join just click on the below link which will take you to the JAINA website where you need to select the event you want to join.

If you have any questions please call Mahesh Wadher at 909 376 4027 or email to Mahesh.Wadher@gmail.com

Click Here to Attend Lectures and Samvatsari Pratikamans

Due to COVID-19, we have to celebrate the auspicious festival of Paryushan and Das Lakshana at home unlike every year at the Jain centers. JAINA is organizing the below-mentioned virtual Pratikramans and Aloyana on Zoom for people to take laabh from home. Kindly forward this message to everyone so they can join.

Samvatsari Pratikraman Recording: Although Samvatsari Pratikraman is to be performed without the use of technology, YJA has prepared a recording of the Samvatsari Pratikraman (www.yja.org/samvatsari ) that can be used given the current circumstances. This recording includes the Pratikraman in its original language with brief English explanations of the rituals in between the prayers. This is especially useful for the youth and adults to be able to understand the ritual.

Because it utilizes technology, the Pratikraman has been modified (for instance, excluding the Karemi Bhante Sutra) after consultation with a Jain scholar in India. This recording will also allow Sadharmiks to responsibly observe social distancing and avoid needing to gather in groups.

Tapasvi Recognition: YJA also wants to take the opportunity to recognize all youth who are taking vows or completing tap this Paryushan. Please have your youth submit their vow at this form, and we will send them a Raksha Potli as a token of appreciation!

Paryushan Youth Lectures: Throughout Paryushan, YJA held Youth Lectures led by Smt. Tejalben Shah of Mumbai. To watch the past recordings of these lectures, visit bit.ly/paryushan-lectures-playlist. For more Paryushan and Das Lakshan resources, click here.

Sadharmik Bhakti and Jiv Daya: YJA is taking efforts to raise funds for two causes this Paryushan. Funds will be split 50/50 between Shree Navkar Sarvar Kendra to help Jains who have lost their jobs and are in need of financial assistance to feed their families and Shree Radhanpur Khoda Dhor Panjrapole for the protection of animals through one of the oldest animal shelters in Patan, Gujarat. Donate here!

Jivdaya during Paryushan is the most important of the 5 duties of a Shravak. That is the reason the first day of Paryushan is devoted to AMARI PRAVARTANA - a vow to not indulge in the violence of any kind. We express our acceptance of that vow by contributing to the Jivdaya fund.

Click to Donate

Mail your Donations in favor of JAINA to :
Ashok Savla (JAINA Treasurer),
8843 1/2 Longden Avenue, Temple City, CA 91780