Chapter-32 - Method / Procedure of visiting Jina Temple

1.What is the method of visiting Jina temple ?

After getting free from bathing, etc. morning routines, wearing pure washed clothes (Dhoti Dupatta or Kurta Pajama) should go straight towards the temple. While coming out of the home, he should be bare-footed, protecting living beings on the road and carrying pure washed eight worshipping substances in the hand with the intense desire to pay homage to the Lord Jina. One should not think of any other alternative work in the way. Having a sight of the tapering tower of the temple, should pay obeisance to the temple by bowing the head, afterwards reaching at the door of the temple, should wash both feet with the pure filtered water.

Just entering the door of the temple should pronounce "Om Jai, Jai, Jai, Nisshai, Nisshai, Nisshai, Namostu, Namostu, Namostu"(Nissahi means should enter the temple asking the deities worshipping or living there to move aside), then should bell the gong affixed in the temple. Afterwards reaching before the Lord should bow head with folded hands and sitting in Gavasan (cow posture) should salute thrice and on standing should pronounce Namokar Mantra and some hymn, song of praise, etc. and seeing unblinkingly at the idol of the Lord should aspire that I may also get appearance of passionlessness like the Lord, his mental attitude should be, "O Lord! Just as you are detached (have no concern) from the throne, etc. eight auspicious emblems, similarly I may also remain detached from the world", and pronouncing Arihant, Siddha, Acharya, Upadhyaya and Sadhu, these five verses, should offer rice brought with him from home with fastened fist keeping the thumb inside, in the middle, above, in the right side, in the lower side and then in left side, such five fistful rice should be offered. Afterwards sitting on the ground in Gavasan (cow posture) should bow the head with folded hands so as to touch the ground, should salute thrice then should stand up with folded hands and pronouncing clearly hyming songs, etc. in sweet sound should circumambulate the alter thrice from left to right. Afterwards completing the hymn song salute thrice sitting in the Gavasan. While circumambulating it should be kept in mind that if some one is saluting then should not pass in front of him but go behind him. We should stand in such a way for paying homage or for pronouncing hymn song so that no body should get disturbed. After paying homage, sinking the middle and ring finger of the right hand into the pure water kept near the Gandhodaka (sacred fragrant water pertaining to anointment of the Jina idol), for purifying the fingers, apply the water-wash, (i.e. Gandhodaka) on the upper body organs, then wash those fingers in the pure water kept near the Gandhodaka. Pronounce following couplet at the time applying the Gandhodaka -

निर्मलं निर्मलीकरणं, पवित्रं पाप नाशनम् ।

जिन गंधोदकं वंदे, अष्टकर्म विनाशनम् ।।

Gandhodaka is pure, destroys sins, makes us pure,

I adore Jin Gandhodak for getting eight Karma's cure.

Afterwards reciting Namokar Mantra nine times should perform one meditative relaxation (Kayotsarga, i.e. equanimity). Afterwards reciting  ‘प्रथमं करण चरण द्रव्यं नम:।' (i.e. I salute exposition dealing biographical life stories of great personage, exposition dealing with structure of the universe, etc., exposition dealing with Shravakas and Ascetics-conduct and the exposition dealing with Jain metaphysics, before Jinwani, i.e. Jain scriptures offer four fistful rice and reciting ‘सम्यक् दर्शन-सम्यक् ज्ञान-सम्यक् चारित्रेभ्यो नम:' i.e. I adore right belief, right knowledge and right conduct) offer three fistful offerings before the Guru. Afterwards should study religious scriptures and should count the beads of the rosary (मंत्र जाप). Then without showing back to the Lord should come out of the temple pronouncing Assahi, Assahi, Assahi.

2. What is Devdarshana (to have sight of the Jina Lord)?

Deva means passionless Deity free from 18 faults and the general meaning of Darshana is to see but here Darshana means to see / have sight with reverence / worshipping. Hence, seeing the Deity with venerable view, is named as Darshana.

3. Why bathing is necessary before coming to the temple ?

Five sins used to take place in house-hold life due to which body becomes impure, hence bathing is necessary for the purity of the body.

4. Why washing of feet is necessary at the time of entering the temple ?

The feet are directly related to the fore-head. The feet are pressed for the relief of the pain in the eyes and stomach and for quieting the intense fatigue. Who dreams at night, he is advised to sleep after washing his feet. When the Shravaka wants to do Vaiyavrati (physical service) of Muni Maharaj, then Muni Maharaj tells him that if he wants to apply ghee or oil, then apply that only on the bottom part of feet which reaches up to the fore-head. All this description proves that the feet are related to the fore-head. If there is impurity in the feet then the mind would also get impure. Hence it is necessary to wash feet before entering the temple.

5. Why 'Nissahi', 'Nissahi', 'Nissahi' should be uttered at the time of entering the temple?

Firstly, I am coming for paying homage to the Lords hence if some Shravaka or any imperceptible deity is also paying homage there he may kindly give me space for Darshana. The second reason is that I am entering this pious place having forbidden (Nissahi),i.e. renouncing all the belongings or being detached except clothes on the body. The third reason is that I pay obeisance to the temple.

6. Why the gong is rang in the temple ?

The main reasons of ringing the gong in the temple are as follows -

1. The gong is the symbol of playing kettle-drum by the celestial beings.
2. As soon as the gong is rung and we stand beneath the gong due to which its waves are collected through which the mental peace is gained and pious thoughts begin to come in the mind on their own. The gong is of pyramid-shaped and today the pyramid is mostly used for keeping the mind quiet.
3. The gong is rung at the time of anointment of the Lord Jina which also works for the awakening of people living around the temple so that they may know that the anointment has begun, they should proceed to the temple, hence the gong is the indicator of the time.

7. Why only the rice are offered in the temple ?

The rice does not germinate, the paddy is germinated, hence further we should also not grow again, i.e. further we should also not take birth, hence the rice are offered.

8. Of whom the circumambulation is done and how many ?

Three circumambulations are performed of the passionless Deity, places of Pilgrimage, places of Salvation of Teerthankara and other salvated souls, Atisayakshetra, i.e. pious places where some religious miracle happened and of unattached and passionless saints.

9. Why circumambulation is performed ?

The Lord ensconced on the alter is the symbol of the Samavsaran. The face of the Lord is seen differently in all the four directions in the Samavsaran. Hence with the aim of having the sight of the Lord Jina in all the four directions, the circumambulation is performed. The number three is the symbol of Gems-trio, hence I may attain Gems-trio that is why three circamambulations are done.

10. Why the circumambulation is performed from the left ?

Those who are our adorable, worshippable, great personage they are kept on our right side with the view of paying respect that is why the circumambulation is performed from left side.

11. Why 'Assahi', 'Assahi', 'Assahi' is uttered at the time of returning from the temple?

'Assahi' means now I am going out of the temple, the deity, etc. who had given me space for Darshan, they may now please take their respective places.

12. What sentiments / feelings should come in the mind at the time of having sight of the Jina Lord ?

Following sentiments / feelings should be thought at the time of paying homage to the Lord Jina :

1. I may also become like you.
2. My sinful activities should be destroyed soon.
3. I may get the bliss of the salvation.
4. All living beings of the world may remain happy.
5. All the living being of the world should follow religion.
6. All the hells may become empty, all hospitals may close, i.e. nobody should fell ill, all jails may close ,i.e. nobody should do such work (commit crime) due to which he may be impris oned.

13. Which type of thoughts should be abandoned at the time of having sight of Lord Jina?

Following sentiments / lemotions / feelings should be abandoned at the time of paying homage to the Lord Jina :

1. The feeling for getting money, grandeur, position, etc. should be abandoned.
2. The feeling of getting wife, child, etc. should be abandoned.
3. Bad thought like desiring death of some body, he may be defeated in the election, his shop may be destroyed, he may be dismissed from the service, he may fail in the examination, etc., should be abandoned.

14. How the idol of the stone or metal is made worshippable ?

The Arihant Parmeshthi does not exist in the fifth time-period (Pancham Kala) in Bharat & Airavat regions. Installation of the virtues of those Arihantas is done in the idols by Acharya Parmeshthi through instilling Suri Mantra into the idol in five days consecrational celebration of the Lord Jinendra (Panch Kalyanaka). Hence the idol becomes adorable, for example the maximum cost of a paper of 17.8 cm. length and 7.3 cm. breadth is 50 paisa but the same paper carries the value of rupees 1000/- when it is signed by the governor of the Reserve Bank of India, similarly the idol of stone or metal of less cost becomes invaluable as soon as the Suri Mantra is instilled into it ,i.e. becomes worshippable.

15. Which acts should not be done in the temple ?

Following acts should not be done in the temple :

1. One should not sit on higher place than the Deity, Scriptural and Guru.
2. In case any Shravaka is paying homage then one should not pass in front of him.
3. Recitation the text of the worship, reading singing devotional song, pronouncing Mantra ,etc. should not be pronounced so loudly that the other one performing the same function may be disturbed or may precisely forget his recitation.
4. We should not clean off dirt of the nose, ear, eye, etc.
5. We should not go to the temple wearing the clothes which we wore during defecation etc.
6. We should not go to the temple applying impure substances like lipstick, nail polish, cream, scent etc.
7. Should not get angry or display egoism.
8. Should not abuse any body.
9. Should not indulge in talks of engagement (bethrohal) marriage, eating-drinking, etc.
10. There should be no discussion of shop, office, politics, etc. in the temple.
11. Should not go having ramnants of food in the mouth.
12. Should not go wearing thing made of leather or silk.
13. 13. Should not go to the temple wearing black, blue, red, gaudy or obscene clothes.
14. 14. Should not use mobile in the temple.

16. What are the advantages by visiting temple of Lord Jina ?

Following advantages are gained by having sight of Jina-temple.

1. Right faith is attained and if it already exists then it gets more firm.
2. Fruit of many fasts is gained.
3. Innumerable times dissociation of the Karmas takes place.
4. Influx of virtue comes into being.
5. Inauspicious thought of the mind are destroyed.
6. The whole day passes happily by visiting - worshipping in the morning.

17. The fruit of how many fasts is gained by visiting Jinendra Lord ?

1. By thinking of visiting Lord Jinendra - of 2 fasts
2. By desiring to prepare for visiting Lord Jinendra - of 3 fasts
3. By getting ready to visit - of 4 fasts
4. By starting from home to the temple - of 5 fasts
5. To the one who covers some distance - of 12 fasts
6. To that who covers the half distance - of 15 fasts
7. To that who visits the temple - of 1 months fasts
8. To that who enters the courtyard of the temple - of 6 months fasts
9. To that who enters the door - of 1 year fasts
10. To that who circumambulate - of 100 years fasts
11. To that who visits the face of Lord Jinendra Deva - of 1000 fasts
12. To that who eulogizes Lord Jinendra with out any desire, i.e. by natural disposition - of infinite fasts (P, Pu. 32/178-182)