1. What is temple ?
The place where Jina-idols are installed, is called temple.
2. The temple symbolize - of what ?
The temple is a symbol of Samavsaran, River, Hospital, School, Life Insurance corporation, Ticket Windows, Bank, Factory of wealth and sources of information. Samavsaran : Just as the preaching of the Teerthankara is gained in the Samavsaran, similarly the silent preaching is gained through the Jina-idol in the temple, hence the temple is the symbol of Samavsaran.
River : Just as the river quenches the thirst of all irrespective of pauper or rich, sinner or virtuous souls, violent or non-violent, causes peace to all without any partiality, similarly the Jina - temple removes the physical and mental heat persisting through life after life of the living beings who are off the track (wandering about) in the world without any discrimination of pauper-rich, sinner- virtuous,etc.
Hospital : The person goes to the Hospital when he is ill. The doctor wants to cure the disease but some diseases are not cured and the diseased dies. Incurable diseases are cured through the temple, such diseases are birth, old age, death. The temple destroys the main source of disease, i.e. birth, old age and death then these external diseases, precisely do not occur at all.
School : Just as you send your children to school, colleges etc. for education so that your son may get the degree in Medicine, Engineering, etc. similary, there are Pathshala (religious schools) in the temples for sustaining the culture and sacraments where the art / method of making the soul like the supreme soul (Parmatma) is taught. The worldly degree remains only for the existing one birth but the knowledge gained through the Pathshala causes gaining conventially the degree of omniscience which lasts for infinite births.
Life Insurance Corporation : In case one dies after paying the first installment then the sum insured is paid to the family members of the diseased. In case there is insurance of some object (thing) and that thing gets destroyed after paying the first installment then that thing is replaced by a new one, similarly by visiting the Lord in the temple, if the right belief is attained even once then if even the body is destroyed then new transformable body of the celestial body-form is gained through which getting the supremely pure gross body (Param Audarika Sharir), by and by he attains final emancipation (Salvation) within Ardhapudgal Paravartan, i.e. halfembodiment time cycle.
The Ticket Window: We can travel around the world by buying ticket, similary travelling of all the three world is accomplished gaining/attaining the omniscience by the ticket of right belief, that too without any effort, i.e. without going anywhere.
Bank : The money becomes double depositing it in the bank (F.D.) for 5 years but by depositing it (giving donation) in the temple is multiplies by thousands times like the banyan tree. Well, some banks becomes bankrupt over night but this bank never becomes bankrupt.
Factory of the wealth : Who have no sacraments of visiting Jina Lord, worshipping, religious study, etc. they earn money whole day in the shop, factory and in the night go straight to the bar and going there destroy both the wealth and the character and the possessors of sacraments of viewing Jina lord or worshipping or studying religious scriptures, also earn money whole day in the shop, factory and come straight home in the night which results in the increase of wealth in the house, hence temples are factory of the wealth.
Sources of information : Just as news of native & foreign lands are known by the radio, T.V., etc., similarly the knowledge of all the three worlds is attained from the scriptures kept in the temple and the information that who Muni Maharaj is staying in which city and which religious function is being celebrated in which city is also known by magazines / perodicales of many places kept in the temple.
3. Why the Lord - Jina is ensconced on the alter ?
The Gandhakuti, (i.e. seat of the Lord in Samavsaran) remains above the three pedestals in the Samavsaran (Peeth, the Peeth is the three-tier round shaped platform one above the other, each upper one of reducing diameter). Gandhakuti is that place where the throne of the Teerthankara is placed on which the Teerthankara remains ensconced four fingers above in the space, hence alter is also the symbol of three Peethas of the Samavsaran, that is why the Lord remains ensconced on the alter.
4. How many parasols are hanged over the idol of the Teerthankara, and why ?
Three parasols are hanged over the idols of the Teerthankara because the Teerthankara Lord is the master of three worlds. All the three parasols from top to bottom are broader in order because the breadth of the universe at the end of the lower universe is 7 Raju, the breadth of the universe at the Brahm heaven is 5 Raju and on the top of the universe the breadth is 1 Raju.
5. Why whisks are placed on both the sides of the idol of the Teerthankara Lord ?
64 whisks are flown/waved in the Samavsaran, that is why as a symbol one or two whisks are waved on each of both the sides of the idol of Teerthankara Lord.
6. Why the Halo (Bhamandal) is placed behind the idol of Lord Teerthankara ?
An aura/halo remains around the head of the Teerthankara in the Samavsaran in which three birth of the past, one of the present and three of the future are visible of each and every living being, keeping this in view, the halo is placed behind idol of Teerthankara Lord.
7. Why the tapering tower is built on the temple ?
- The thing which is special, is expressed specifically. The house is general and the temple is special, hence tapering tower on temples are built for showing difference between the house and the temple.
- The shape of the tapering tower remains like pyramid through which sound-waves are collected and from which the peace is gained naturally and pious / virtuous thoughts are generated.
- The pride of people is broken into fragments seeing the lofty summit of the temple.
- So that anybody's feet may not lie on above the place where the Lord is ensconced.
- The identity of Jina temple is known from distant place due to the tapering tower.
8. Why the round pinnacle is affixed on the tapering tower of the temple ?
The temple is regarded incomplete and without it the temple is not looked graceful, that is why the pinnacle is affixed.
9. Why the ensign (flag) is flown/waved on the pinnacle of the tapering tower of the temple ?
- If the flag is not waved on the pinnacle of the tapering tower of the temple then the temple becomes residence of Rakshas deities.
- Just as the country is identified by its flag similarly the identity of our Aytanas, (i.e. well grounded base of right faith ,etc.) is known through the religious ensign.
10. Why the Manstambh (Pride benumbing monument) is built in the precinct of temple?
There remains one Manstambh each in all the four directions in the outer part of the Samavsaran seeing which the pride of the proud person is melted, keeping in view this fact only one Manstambh is built in front of the temple only in one direction in which one idol each in all the four directions is installed.
11. What is the difference between the temple & Chaityalaya ?
Word meaning of both these words is similar. The place where Jina-idols are installed is called Chaityalaya, but at present the abode of the Deity with tapering tower, is called temple and the abode of the Deity without the tapering tower, is called Chaityalaya.
