Paryushan Parv of Jains commences

Different Austerities Practised in Jainism

by Pankaz Chandmal Hingad

Jain fasting

Fasting is very common among Jains and a part of Jain festivals. Most Jains fast at special times, during festivals, and on holy days. Paryushan is the most prominent festival, Shwetambars celeberate Paryusan for 8 days & Digambars practice same for 10 days. However, a Jain may fast at any time, sometimes if s/he feels some error has been committed. Variations in fasts encourage Jains to do whatever they can, to maintain whatever self control is possible for an individual.
The aim of fasting

Monks, nuns and laity fast as penance and to control desires. Fasting purifies the body and the mind, reminding one of Tirthankars emphasis on renunciation and asceticism. Tirthankars spent months fasting and in contemplation. It is not sufficient simply to stop eating when fasting, she/he must also stop wanting to eat. Control over one's mind is a major goal. If one continues to desire food, the fast is pointless.

Types of fast

There are several fasts:

* Complete fasting: No food or water for a period.

* Partial fasting: Eating less than you desire and to simply avoid hunger.

* Vruti Sankshep: Limiting the number of items eaten.

* Rasa Parityag: Giving up favourite foods.

* Great fasts: Some monks fast for months at a time, following Mahavir, who fasted for over 6 months.

Different types of fast

* Choviyhar Upavas - To give up food and water for the whole day.

* Upavas - To give up only food for the whole day.

* Digamber Upvas - One may drink water only once a day, before sunset.

* Shwetamber Upvas - One may drink Water after Porsi which is boiled and then cooled naturally, provided this is done before sunset

* Ekasana - To eat one meal a day at one sitting and drink water as desired between sunrise and sunset.

* Beasana - To eat two meals a day, (one meal per sitting) and drink water any times between sunrise and sunset.

* Ayambil: Eating food once in one sitting. The food is spice free and boiled or cooked, without milk, curds, ghee, oil, or green/raw vegetables.

* Chathth - To give up both food and water or only food continuously for two days.

* Aththam - To give up food and water or only food continuously for three days.

* Aththai - To give up food and water or only food continuously for eight days.

* Masaksaman - To give up food and water or only food continuously for a whole month.

* Navkarsi: Food and water is consumed forty-eight (48) minutes after sunrise.

* Porsi: Taking food and water three hours after sunrise.

* Sadh-porsi: Taking food and water four hours and thirty minutes after sunrise.

* Purimuddh: Taking food and water six hours after sunrise.

* Avadhdh: Taking food and water eight hours after sunrise.

* Tivihar: After sunset no food or juice shall be taken, but one may drink water. Many Jains practise this daily.

* Navapad oli - During every year for 9 days starting from the 6/7th day in the bright fortnight until the full moon day in Ashwin and Chaitra months, one does Ayambil. This is repeated for the next four and half years. Ayambils may be restricted to one kind of grain per day.

Other austerities are varshitap, Vardhaman, and visasthanak tap, etc.

* Santhara - To give up food and water entirely. This leads to death and is undertaken by someone who has finished all his/her duties and wishes to leave this world peacefully. It gives control over when one dies so everything may be completed and a person may leave of his/her own free will.

Most Important Jain Festival Paryusan for shwetambar Jains will start from 21st August 2006 for eigth days & Digambar Jains Paryusan will start after shwetmabars for 10 days. Last day of Paryusan is called Samvatsari day / Kshama Yachna day.