Level 1 Pathshala Book
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Jain Society of Metropolitan Chicago Level 1 Pathshala Book January 2021 Dear Parents, Jai Jinendra! Welcome to Level 1 Pathshala! This book is a work in progress. We have used multiple resources to create this book, which reflects the Level 1 curriculum at Jain Society of Metropolitan Chicago. Please provide any feedback you might have on the material in this book. Since the Level 1 students are between the ages of 5 & 6, we have tried to keep the content to their level. However, at times we have included deeper meanings to give context to parents. Please note that Jainism is very complex and this book attempts to simplify the learning for young children. In doing so, the completeness of the religion cannot be explained here. We hope that you find this book useful for your kids and even for yourself on your journey of learning about Jainism. We ask for forgiveness for any mistakes in this book. Micchāmi Dukkaḍaṃ Regards, Level 1 Pathshala Teachers CHAPTER 1 - OUR RELIGION, DERASAR AND DARSHAN .......................................................................................................... 2 CHAPTER 2 - THE THREE JEWELS – RATNATRAYA .................................................................................................................... 6 CHAPTER 3 - THE THREE A’S...................................................................................................................................................... 7 CHAPTER 4 - FIVE JAIN PRINCIPLES .......................................................................................................................................... 8 CHAPTER 5 - MEANING OF SATHIYO (SWASTIKA) ................................................................................................................. 10 CHAPTER 6 - FOUR BHAVANAS (THOUGHTS) ........................................................................................................................ 12 CHAPTER 7 – JIV & AJIV .......................................................................................................................................................... 14 CHAPTER 8 - PAAP & PUNYA .................................................................................................................................................. 16 CHAPTER 9 – THE SOUL AND KARMA THEORY ...................................................................................................................... 17 CHAPTER 10 – THIRTHANKARS AND PANCH KALYANAK ....................................................................................................... 18 CHAPTER 11 - PANCH PARMESHTI AND MEANING OF NAMOKAR MANTRA ...................................................................... 21 CHAPTER 12 - JAIN FOOD PLATE ............................................................................................................................................ 23 CHAPTER 13 - GO GREEN WITH THE 3 R’S .............................................................................................................................. 24 CHAPTER 14 - KAAL CHAKRA: THE JAIN COSMIC WHEEL OF TIME ........................................................................................ 26 CHAPTER 15 - LIFE OF ADINATH BHAGWAN .......................................................................................................................... 28 CHAPTER 16 - LIFE OF MAHAVIR BHAGWAN ......................................................................................................................... 29 CHAPTER 17 - LIFE OF PARSHVANATH BHAGWAN (ROUGH DRAFT!) ................................................................................... 30 CHAPTER 18 - LIFE OF NEMINATH BHAGWAN ....................................................................................................................... 32 CHAPTER 19 - JAIN TIRTHS ...................................................................................................................................................... 33 CHAPTER 20 – OUR SPIRITUAL GURUS - SADHU/SADHVIS ................................................................................................... 34 CHAPTER 21 – SAMAVASARAN .............................................................................................................................................. 36 CHAPTER 22 - PARYUSHAN & DAS LAXANA ........................................................................................................................... 37 CHAPTER 23 - OTHER RELIGIONS ............................................................................................................................................ 38 CHAPTER 24 - ASHTA PRAKÄRI PUJÄ (EIGHT TYPES OF PUJÄ FOR TIRTHANKAR) ................................................................ 41 CHAPTER 25 - SIGNIFICANCE OF DIWALI FOR JAINS .............................................................................................................. 44 CHAPTER 26 - SAMAYIK .......................................................................................................................................................... 45 GLOSSARY ................................................................................................................................................................................ 47 RESOURCES.............................................................................................................................................................................. 48 Page 1 Chapter 1 - Our Religion, Derasar and Darshan What is religion (dharma)? Religion has rituals that help you live your life in the right way. Our dharma is called Jainism and we are called Jains. Religion is not the same as language, like Gujarati or Hindi or English. It is not where you are from like Indian, Mexican, or Italian. When we meet each other, we say “Jai Jinendra”. This means that we are giving honor to the Jinas. We hope to follow the principles of the Jinas. Jinas are the same as Tirthankaras or Arihantas. Tirthankaras are souls that have reached Moksha. When we learn about our religion, we learn how to be like the Tirthankaras and also reach Moksha one day. Moksha means you are liberated or free from the cycle of life and birth. Jains should practice saying Jai Jinendra to their friends, family and teachers. You can say Jai Jinendra in the morning, afternoon or night. You can say it face to face, on the phone, in an email or text message. It will remind us to be like the Tirthankaras. Jai Jinendra! Where do we pray? The place that Jains go to pray is called a Derasar. The Derasar usually has a tower or dome called the Shikhar at the roof with a Jain flag at the top. Derasar Why do we pray? Jains worship the Tirthankaras so that they can become more like them. Jains do not ask the Tirthankaras for any favors or wishes. How do we pray? . Next, we use the Dhoop, Divo, Mirror and fan (Darpan), Chamar and bell Now You can do Chaitya Vandan with the help of your family. You can also do “Ang Puja” if you are wearing puja clothes (clean clothes that you did not eat in or use the bathroom in). For Ang Puja, you have to go inside the “Gabharo” to touch the idols. We will learn more about 8 types of puja (Ashtaprakari Puja) in another chapter. You can ring the bell in the temple at the end. As you leave the temple you say “Avarshi, Avarshi, Avarshi”. You are saying that you will come back to the temple soon. Page 2 Pictures of Doing Darshan in Temple 1. Going to the temple 2. Jain Flag (Dhaja) After taking a bath and wearing clean clothes we go to the Once we arrive to the temple and see the temple. “Dhaja” or Jain flag we say “Namo Jinanam”. 3. Entering the derasar 4. Put on Tilak Say Nisihi, Nisihi, Nisihi (leave all thoughts behind) We put "Tilak" or "Chandlo" on our forehead Once we enter the lobby, we remove our shoes and which shows our belief in Jainism values. As put them in the shoe room. we enter the derasar we say “Nisihi, Nisihi, Nisihi”. When we say this, we are saying that we are not going to have any other thoughts while we are in the temple. 5. Mulnayak Tirthankaras in Gabharo 6. Go around Bhumti - 3 times (Pradakshina) Then we go around the "Bhumti" 3 times. We pray to main (Mulnayak) bhagwans in the Gabharo. The Bhumti is where they have the idols of We can’t go inside unless we have puja clothes on. all 24 Tirthankaras. We go around 3 times to remind us of the 3 jewels: 1) Right conduct, 2) Right knowledge and 3) Right faith. Page 3 7. Pray to Devis and other idols around the Rangmandap 8. Dhup 9. Divo 10. Darpan 11. Chamar 12. Ring Bell 13. Do Sathyio 14. Do 15. Put money in the bhandar Navkarwali 108 beads You can put money in the Bhandar to help take care of the temple. 16. Chaityavandan 17. Khamasanu 18. Avarshi, Avarshi, Avarshi (bow down 3 times while reciting (I promise to be back) Icchami Khamasnu) Page 4 Classroom Activity: 1) Paint & decorate mini Derasar using wooden treasure boxes. 2) Learn proper way to bow down during khamasnu using 2 hands folded, bent knees and forehead touching the ground. 3) Watch this video which gives an introduction to the Jain religion, its practitioners and its central beliefs. Jainism 101 - YJA Pathshala: https://youtu.be/Vy1tfCROtWE Homework: 1. Practice saying these Jain phrases and their meanings: • Jai Jinendra • Namo Jinanam • Nishi Nishi Nisihi • Avarshi Avarshi Avarshi 2. Identify all the items in the Derasar and practice all the steps. References: https://jainworld.com/education/jain-education-material/beginner-level/jain-temple/