Jin Pooja Vidhi Sankshiptama

This document is a brief guide to performing the eight types of worship (Ashtaprakari Pooja) in Jainism, compiled by Abhaysagarji Maharaj.

Here's a breakdown of the key points:

Core Philosophy of Pooja:

• Not for the Prabhu, but for the devotee: The text emphasizes that the worship is not for the benefit of the divine being (Prabhu) but for the devotee's own spiritual growth. It's a way to cultivate detachment (Vitaragbhav), understand one's true self (Atmaswaroop), and ultimately achieve spiritual liberation.

General Pooja Etiquette:

• Entering the Temple: Upon entering the temple, one should touch their hands to their forehead and chant "Namo Jinanam" (Salutations to the Jinas).
• Circumambulations (Pradakshina): Three circumambulations are performed with a specific mantra about overcoming the cycle of birth and death and attaining true knowledge.
• Prostration: Approaching the idol, one should prostrate with devotion.
• Chanting Stutis: Sing devotional hymns (stutis) with peace and devotion, ensuring not to disturb other devotees. Men should stand to the right of the idol, and women to the left.
• Entering the Sanctum: When entering the main shrine (garbhagraha), wear a mask (mukhosh) and chant "Nishih."

The Eight Types of Worship (Ashtaprakari Pooja):

The document details each of the eight types of worship, outlining the specific material used, the mantra, and the associated devotional contemplation (bhavana).

1. Jal Pooja (Water Worship):

   • Material: Water in a pot.
   • Mantra: Focuses on purifying oneself from worldly desires and attachments, asking for the attainment of detachment.
   • Bhavana: Expresses gratitude for the opportunity to worship, recognizing the divine nature within oneself mirroring the Prabhu's state, and dedicating oneself to the path of righteousness and renunciation. It involves offering the water as a symbol of shedding worldly attachments.

2. Chandan Pooja (Sandalwood Worship):

   • Material: Sandalwood paste.
   • Mantra: Seeks to calm the fires of worldly desires and attain infinite spiritual qualities, overcoming the cycle of birth and death.
   • Bhavana: Compares the cooling effect of sandalwood on hot iron to the power of devotion to calm the soul from the heat of worldly suffering and ignorance. The devotee acknowledges their own helplessness and dependence on divine grace.

3. Pushp Pooja (Flower Worship):

   • Material: Flowers.
   • Mantra: Aims to dispel the darkness of false beliefs (mithyatva) and worldly desires, leading to the attainment of self-qualities.
   • Bhavana: Compares the fragrance of flowers dispelling bad odors to the worship of the Prabhu's virtues dispelling the spiritual impurity of false beliefs and desires, leading to right faith (samyak darshan) and a state of non-attachment.

4. Dhoop Pooja (Incense Worship):

   • Material: Incense.
   • Mantra: Focuses on the upward movement of incense symbolizing the soul's natural upward journey, seeking strength to overcome karma and attain the state of liberation.
   • Bhavana: Expresses the soul's natural upward tendency, currently obscured by karma, and seeks divine guidance to overcome these obstacles and reach the abode of liberated souls (Siddhashila).

5. Deep Pooja (Lamp Worship):

   • Material: Lamp (Deepak).
   • Mantra: Aims to dispel the darkness of ignorance and awaken the lamp of true knowledge (kevalgyan).
   • Bhavana: Compares the physical lamp dispelling darkness to the spiritual light of the Prabhu's teachings dispelling the devotee's own ignorance and delusion, leading to the attainment of perfect knowledge.

6. Akshat Pooja (Unbroken Rice Worship):

   • Material: Unbroken rice grains.
   • Mantra: Seeks to achieve a pure, unbroken, and inherent self-nature, overcoming the cycle of birth, old age, and death.
   • Bhavana: Uses the analogy of cleaned rice grains being unable to sprout to represent the soul, through this worship, becoming detached from worldly coverings (like husk) and achieving liberation from the cycle of existence. The ritual includes stacking symbolic representations of right faith, knowledge, conduct, and the Siddhashila.

7. Naivedya Pooja (Offering of Food Worship):

   • Material: Food offering.
   • Mantra: Aims to dispel the desire for food (a root cause of worldly existence) and attain the state of being foodless (anahaari).
   • Bhavana: Dedicates the offering as a symbol of the devotee's aspiration to attain their own foodless state. It also expresses the desire to maintain the body as a tool for spiritual practice, with detachment and minimal consumption.

8. Phal Pooja (Fruit Worship):

   • Material: Fruit.
   • Mantra: Seeks to eliminate worldly desires and attain the fruit of liberation (mukti phal).
   • Bhavana: Offers the fruit as a symbol of renouncing worldly desires and cultivating the desire for spiritual liberation, leading to the manifestation of a selfless and desire-free state.

Additional Worships:

• Dravya Pooja (Money Worship): Dedicates wealth as a symbol of detachment from material possessions and the realization of one's own inherent state of non-attachment. The bhavana emphasizes overcoming attachment to wealth due to ignorance and the pursuit of happiness in external things.
• Darpan Pooja (Mirror Worship): The mirror symbolizes the soul. The bhavana expresses the aspiration for the soul to become so pure that the reflection of the Prabhu's form appears within it, leading to inner realization and eventual liberation.
• Chamara Pooja (Fly-whisk Worship): This section focuses on expressing deep reverence and gratitude for the Tirthankaras for establishing the Jain path and guiding all beings towards liberation. It acknowledges the immense benefit of their teachings and expresses the aspiration to follow their path to achieve the Siddha state.

In essence, the book provides a structured and devotional approach to the Ashtaprakari Pooja, guiding the practitioner to perform the rituals with specific spiritual intentions and contemplations, ultimately aiming for self-purification and spiritual liberation.