Diwali/ Deepavali: Jain
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Dipalikaya
Nov 9, 2023: The Times of India
Jains celebrate Deepavali as Dipalikaya, Mahanirvan day of Mahavir, and as Festival of Enlightenment and Realisation, writes SUMIT PAUL, relooking at the 24th Tirthankar’s key teachings we need to imbibe today
Everything on earth, whether living or non-living, has a degree of consciousness. Respect that
— Mahavir
No festival is confined to a specific religious group. Festivals have a uniquely universal appeal. While we look at Deepavali mostly from the Hindu perspective, it is equally significant to the followers of Jainism. Jains celebrate Deepavali as the Mahanirvan of Mahavir, his attainment of moksha, salvation, in Bihar’s Pavapuri. It is known as Dipalikaya: light leaving the body.
In fact, the Festival of Lights is for them also Festival of Enlightenment. The light is inner Light. As the Jain text, Chulika Sutra, states, Prakasham parchhante dyuti jhavvanam, ‘the external light meets the inner light’. According to Jain Agams, such as the Acharang Sutra, Deepti mastasye parabhootam vigrehat, ‘enlightenment eclipses all darkness’. Interestingly, seven tirthankars and eleven Jain munis in the past 2,600 years got their satori on the night of Deepavali. Deepavali is also Dinati Ahbodham, Day of Realisation in Prakrit, because on this day, Mahavir’s greatest rival, Indrabhuti Gautam, conceded his defeat in a dialectical discourse with him and embraced Jainism along with his nearly one thousand disciples. This is known as Aadi Deepayan.
According to Jain traditional accounts, coincidentally, Gautam is believed to have gained Kevala Jnana, omniscience, immediately after the moksha of Mahavir. So, the significance of Deepavali is manifold in the context of Jainism. Now more than ever, we all need Mahavir’s teachings and his eirenic philosophy of non-violence. It is time to realise that we must never injure, abuse, oppress, enslave, insult, torment, torture, or kill any creature or living being. It must be noted that only in Jainism, the idea of non-violence was understood in its totality. Mahavir’s emphasis was not only on Kaayik Ahimsa (from kaaya, shareer) bodily, physical non-violence, he gave utmost importance to Mansik Ahimsa, mental non-violence, as well.
Millenniums ago, Mahavir real ised that seeds of violence germinate at the mental level, and then we incubate them on the physical plane. Their manifestations through violent and sanguinary acts like wars, killings, murders, destruction, damage and bloodshed take place later. Mahavir urged us to nip those negative thoughts in the bud. In short, inner and outer revelation of non-violence is a sine qua non for the survival of human civilisation. Can we hold a red-hot iron rod in our hands merely because someone wants us to do so? Then, will it be right on our part to ask others to do the same thing just to satisfy our desires? Do unto others as you would like to be done by. Injury or violence done by you to any life in any form, animal or human, is as harmful as it would be if caused to your own self. Mahavir’s Anekantvad, Syadvad, also plays a crucial role in diffusing the conflicts and tensions that have engulfed us. If we accept the viewpoints of all as Pluralism suggests, there will be no conflicts and confrontations in the world. We are fighting and sparring just because we erroneously think that our perspective is the Gospel truth with oracular infallibility. This is obstinacy.
Further, Mahavir exhorted, Sammddithhi Saya Amudhe, ‘one whose perception is right, he is ever wise’; Na Ya Vigghiyam Kaham Kahijja, ‘quarrel-provoking speech shouldn’t be used’; and Uvsamen Hane Koham, ‘exterminate anger by peace, because anger begets more anger’.
Mahavir’s greatest contribution to humanity has been his etiological exploration of truth; getting to the root of a problem, issue or phenomenon and curing it. Root out the very cause and the ill-effect will vanish.
Mankind is in need of this kind of rooted remedy. Let us implement Mahavir’s profound teachings for a better world and take a pledge that the inner Light will dispel the looming darkness outside.
Nirvana of Mahavir
By JK Jain, Oct 20, 2022: The Times of India
Deepavali – festival of joy, cheers and happiness is round the corner.
It is a special day. Many of us celebrate Deepavali to mark the return to Ayodhya of Ram, along with his wife, Sita, and brother Lakshman, after living in exile for 14 years.
It is also the day the 24th Jain Tirthankar, Mahavir, attained Nirvana – his soul left his body and achieved complete liberation; and is also celebrated as the festival of lights. In fact, the Hindu and Jain calendars start from Pratipada, the day after Deepavali.
To celebrate the festival of lights, most of us go on a shopping spree, buying gold and diamond jewellery, silverware, new clothes, sweets and candles. While some will burst crackers on Deepavali, others might indulge in drinking and gambling. So, what is the right way to remember Ram and Mahavir, whose memory we relive on this festival?
Ram set the highest standard of sacrifice by willingly renouncing his legitimate kingdom, bowing before the wishes of his father, Dashrath, and opting for a 14-year-long exile in jungles, leading a simple life. Even there, he protected the tribal communities and helped Sugriv regain his lost kingdom.
The 24th Tirthankar, Mahavir, preached and practised the eternal and universal principles of ahimsa; satya; asteya – non-stealing; brahmacharya – chastity; and aparigriha – non-possession.
Many of us celebrate Deepavali totally contrary to the life and teachings of the 24th Tirthankar Mahavir and Maryada Purushottam Ram. Could a true bhakt indulge in gambling, drinking, or take pleasure in bursting crackers, harming innumerable innocent creatures and creating noise and air pollution?
Mahavir prescribed four qualities for a believer: prasham, be in control of passions, anger, arrogance, ego, deceit and greed; samveg, be indifferent, apathetic to sensuous pleasures; anukampa, have compassion for all living beings; and astikya, have full faith in the Divine, holy scriptures, sermons and the guru.
Jain muni Acharya Gyansagar would often ask devotees not to splurge their hard-earned money on purchasing fireworks and crackers. He always inspired people to protect the environment and lives of innocent creatures. Buying sweets and new clothes for near and dear ones on festive occasions is fine, but we must try to take care of the underprivileged too, he would say. “Give your old clothes, if not new ones to the poor, visit the marginalised, who live in dilapidated shanties in slum colonies on the outskirts of the city and bring smile on their faces by giving them food, sweets and candles so that they too can light their houses during Deepavali; help artisans by purchasing handmade earthen diyas, lamps, and lanterns. And don’t forget to visit your neighbours and put an end to the bad feelings or animosity which you might have created in the past, knowingly or unknowingly,” he said.
His words are echoed in a song from the film Anari: ‘Kisi ki muskurahato pe ho nisar, kisi ka dard mil sakey to le udhar, kisi ke vastey ho tere dil me pyar, jeena isi ka naam hai’ – make someone smile, share his grief, love everyone, then only your life is worth living. Otherwise, it is just a waste. So, why not celebrate Deepavali this year in a different manner and bring happiness in the lives of others.
