Ashtha Prakari Puja - Book Summary

Here is a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Ashtha Prakari Puja" by Pravin K. Shah, published by the JAINA Education Committee, focusing on the meaning and symbolism of each of the eight types of puja:

Ashtha Prakari Puja: A Summary of the Eightfold Jain Worship

The text "Ashtha Prakari Puja" explains the significance of performing puja in Jainism, highlighting that each ritual symbolizes various aspects of the religion. The eight types of materials generally used in Jain puja are presented with their deeper spiritual meanings and the aspirations they represent for the devotee.

Jala Puja (Water): Water symbolizes purity, equanimity, and the cleansing of karma. The devotee prays for a pure soul, free from attachments and the cycle of birth and death. It represents the desire for a soul that is unfettered and always remains clean and pure like water, washing away impurities.
Pushpa Puja (Flower): Flowers symbolize conduct. The aspiration is for one's conduct to be like a flower, spreading fragrance and beauty to all living beings without discrimination. This means living a life filled with love and compassion for all creatures.
Dhup Puja (Incense): Incense symbolizes meditation and the cleansing of the mind. The smoke rises and dissipates, representing the burning away of karmic impurities and ego. The devotee seeks to burn away inner attachments and ego, aiming to attain a state of pure consciousness, like the pleasant fragrance of incense.
Deepak Puja (Lamp): The lamp symbolizes knowledge and the dispelling of ignorance. The flame of the lamp represents pure consciousness or a liberated soul (Siddha or God in Jainism). By performing this puja, the devotee strives to follow the five great vows (non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, chastity, and non-possession), aiming for liberation from karma and the eventual illumination of their own consciousness.
Akshat Puja (Rice): Rice, being infertile grain seeds, symbolizes the aspiration for the current life to be the last birth. By performing this puja, the devotee aims to put all their efforts into living a life that leads to liberation, so they are not reborn again. It signifies reaching the final destination and breaking free from the cycle of reincarnation.
Naivedya Puja (Tasty Food): Naivedya, or tasty food, symbolizes the attachment to worldly pleasures and sensory experiences. The devotee performing this puja aims to reduce or eliminate their attachment to such pleasures, recognizing that healthy food is for survival, not for indulgence. The ultimate goal is to attain a state where no food is essential, like that of a liberated soul in Moksha, living in eternal bliss.
Fal Puja (Fruit): Fruit symbolizes Moksha or Liberation. The text describes how devotees offer fruits out of love and devotion. The aspiration is to renounce worldly desires and aspirations, seeking only Moksha as the ultimate fruit of all actions. This is achieved by living without attachment, performing duties without expectation, witnessing events with equanimity, and practicing love and compassion towards all beings.
Vastra Puja (Garment): (While not explicitly numbered as 8 in the provided snippet, the catalog title "Ashtha prakari Puja" implies eight, and the text covers seven distinct materials with their symbolism. Assuming Vastra Puja is implied as the eighth, the general meaning in Jain tradition relates to covering the soul with pure conduct and shedding the coverings of karma.)

In essence, Ashtha Prakari Puja is a devotional practice that uses symbolic offerings to guide the devotee's spiritual journey. Each element of the puja serves as a reminder of core Jain principles, encouraging the devotee to cultivate virtues, detach from worldly pleasures, pursue knowledge, and ultimately strive for liberation (Moksha).