The document discusses several important Jain symbols:
1) Jai Jinendra is a greeting that means "may the religion established by the Jina prevail" and recognizes the potential in all souls to achieve liberation.
2) A Jinälaya is a Jain temple that provides a peaceful environment to promote introspection and recognize the inner divinity in all.
3) Common symbols discussed include Om, Hrim, Arhum, the Swastika, and the universal Jain symbol combining these symbols and representing key Jain concepts like non-violence and the cycle of rebirth.
The document discusses several important Jain symbols:
1) Jai Jinendra is a greeting that means "may the religion established by the Jina prevail" and recognizes the potential in all souls to achieve liberation.
2) A Jinälaya is a Jain temple that provides a peaceful environment to promote introspection and recognize the inner divinity in all.
3) Common symbols discussed include Om, Hrim, Arhum, the Swastika, and the universal Jain symbol combining these symbols and representing key Jain concepts like non-violence and the cycle of rebirth.
The document discusses several important Jain symbols:
1) Jai Jinendra is a greeting that means "may the religion established by the Jina prevail" and recognizes the potential in all souls to achieve liberation.
2) A Jinälaya is a Jain temple that provides a peaceful environment to promote introspection and recognize the inner divinity in all.
3) Common symbols discussed include Om, Hrim, Arhum, the Swastika, and the universal Jain symbol combining these symbols and representing key Jain concepts like non-violence and the cycle of rebirth.
The document discusses several important Jain symbols:
1) Jai Jinendra is a greeting that means "may the religion established by the Jina prevail" and recognizes the potential in all souls to achieve liberation.
2) A Jinälaya is a Jain temple that provides a peaceful environment to promote introspection and recognize the inner divinity in all.
3) Common symbols discussed include Om, Hrim, Arhum, the Swastika, and the universal Jain symbol combining these symbols and representing key Jain concepts like non-violence and the cycle of rebirth.
28 Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org JAI JINENDRA - GREETING
Jai Jinendra literally means, “May the religion
established by the Jina prevail in our hearts”. As we greet others we say, “Jai Jinendra” because we see an image of a Jina, destroyer of all inner enemies, in them. Recognizing this, we bow down with respect to their Soul. Every Soul is capable of becoming a Jina, the destroyer of inner enemies; anger, greed, ego, and deceit. Jina is also known as Arihanta or Tirthankar. We consider them as Jain Gods.
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29 Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org JINÄLAYA - JAIN TEMPLE (Deräsar or Mandir)
A Jinälaya, Deräsar, or Mandir is a
place of worship where a person experiences immense peace and serenity. The images of Tirthankars and the temple’s environment promote introspection and bring home the feeling that God resides within one’s own heart. Therefore, each person can follow a path of purification of the inner self devoid of anger, greed, ego, deceit, and attachment from their lives.
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30 Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org OM Om means completeness. It is a symbolic word meaning infinite, the perfect, and the eternal. The very sound is complete, representing the wholeness of all things. Upon attaining absolute knowledge or omniscience, the body of the Arihanta emanates Om (called the Divine Sound - Divya Dhwani). It is an involuntary, spontaneous, and melodious sound that all humans, animals, and heavenly beings can understand as a sermon, in their own language. Om sounds like Aum, which is the seat of the five benedictions (salutations of supreme beings) and is made up of five sounds and letters: a, a, ä, u, and m: • The first letter “a” represents Arihanta (a human being who has realized the true nature of the soul and reality and has conquered passions). • The second “a” represents Ashariri (Siddha, a liberated soul who does not have a physical body) • The third letter “ä” represents Ächärya (an ascetic who is head of the Jain congregation). • The fourth letter “u” represents Upädhyäy (an ascetic teacher). • The fifth letter “m” represents Muni (Sädhus or Sädhvis who practice Jain principles). The Om represents a salutation to the five revered personalities in the Jain religion. Om is a shortened form of the Namokär Mantra.
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31 Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org HRIM
The word Hrim is a seed mantra. It is called
Hrimkär mantra. It is a mystical symbol representing the invisible sound, infinity, and divine energy of the 24 Tirthankars. While meditating on Hrim, one can experience the sublimating energy of Tirthankars.
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32 Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org ARHUM
The word ARHUM is a mantra
representing all vowel and consonant sounds used in the Sanskrut alphabet. The first vowel in the Sanskrut alphabet is “a” and the last consonant is “h.” Therefore, while meditating on this mantra, one focuses on the silent sound of the universe.
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33 Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org SWASTIKA
The Swastika is considered an auspicious and a pious
symbol. The red arms of the swastika represent the four possible states (gatis) of rebirth: human, heaven, hell, and animal. These four states are represented clockwise starting from the upper left corner on the Swastika. Our aim should be liberation from these four states of rebirth. The three green dots above the swastika represent the three jewels of Jainism – Samyak Darshan, Samyak Jnän and Samyak Chäritra. This represents the Jain path of liberation.
At the very top there is a small yellow crescent called
Siddhashilä, a place for liberated souls. The yellow dot above the crescent represents a Siddha or a liberated soul. In order to achieve this stage, a soul must destroy all attached karmas. Every living being should strive for this state of Liberation or Moksha.
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34 Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org UNIVERSAL JAIN SYMBOL
This universal Jain symbol is a combination of various symbols, each
having a deeper meaning. It was adopted during the 2500 Nirvana celebration of Lord Mahävir. The outline of the symbol is defined as the Universe or Loka. The Swastika is explained on the previous page. The raised hand means ‘stop’. The word in the center of the wheel is “Ahimsä,” meaning non-violence. These two symbols remind us to stop for a minute and think twice before starting any activity. This gives us a chance to analyze our activities to be sure that they will not hurt anyone by thoughts, words and deeds. The wheel in the hand shows that if we are not careful and ignore these warnings, then just as the wheel goes around, we will repeatedly go through the cycle of birth and death. The text underneath the symbol, “Parasparopagraho Jivänäm” translates to “Living Beings (souls) Render Service to One Another”.
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35 Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org FEDERATION OF JAINA LOGO
The Federation of Jain Associations in North America
(JAINA) has adopted this symbol. The Swastika from the main Jain symbol has been replaced by the Aum or Om symbol. In the western world, the Swastika is not viewed as a pious symbol.
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36 Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org ÄRATI The Ärati has 5 lamps. The flame is lit on a cotton wick soaked in oil. The Ärati is waved in a circular motion in front of a Tirthankar idol at the end of a ritual ceremony and also at night before the temple closes. The darkness symbolizes negativity, fear, and ignorance, whereas the light symbolizes divinity. The light of the Ärati dispels darkness, signifying the overcoming of negativity through virtue, fear through courage, and ignorance through knowledge.
The 5 lamps symbolize:
• Panch Parmesthi - Arihanta, Siddha, Ächärya, Upädhyäy, Sädhu • Five types of jnäns or knowledge - Matijnän, Shrutjnän, Avadhijnän, Manah Paryäyjnän, Kevaljnän • Five great vows - Ahimsä, Non-stealing, Truthfulness, Celibacy, Non-possesion
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37 Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org MANGAL DEEVO
Mangal deevo has a single wick lamp that is
lit and waved in a circular motion right after the Ärati. The flame is lit on a cotton wick soaked in oil. When the wick is lit, it illuminates the face of the Jina. In this manner, we wish that it would illuminate our hearts with truth and compassion. The single lamp is also a symbol of kevaljnän (infinite knowledge) and liberated souls.
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38 Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org
(Studies of Classical India 1) P. E. Granoff (Auth.) - Philosophy and Argument in Late Vedānta - Śrī Har A's Kha Anakha Akhādya-Springer Netherlands (1978) PDF