June 2013 - Oshwal Centre

Samayik is one of the most important ritual practices of Jainism during which we
try to come closer to our soul. During samayik, we sit down in one place for fortyeight
minutes isolating ourselves from our daily household, social, business, or
school activities. In this time, we read religious books, pray, worship, recite navkar
mantra using mara (string of beads), or do meditation. Before starting samayik,
we remove our regular clothes and wear simple, but clean white cotton clothes
which are reserved for samayik. We do not wear silk clothes or any leather
articles which involve much violence to bugs or animals. White is the symbol of
purity and calmness and that reminds us that we should stay pure and calm.
Some of the items we need during samayik are an asan, muhapati, rajoharan,
ghadi, anupurvi, mara and religious books that will help us to carry out some
religious activities. After cleaning the ground with rajoharan, the asan is spread to
sit. A muhapati is used to cover the mouth. Some people tie it to cover their
mouth, while others hold it in their hand and use it to cover their mouth while
speaking. A muhapati prevents small organisms from entering the mouth. It also
becomes a buffer so that force of our voice and the hot air from our mouths would
not kill many air beings. A muhapati also prevents spit falling on books. It also
serves as a reminder to us that we should control what we say to others. A
rajoharan is a kind of broom made of fine cotton or woolen threads used to clean
the floor, and also to keep away the bugs coming towards us, so that they do not
get hurt. If, for some reason someone has to walk during the samayik then the
rajoharan is used to wipe the floor so that no bugs are crushed. A ghadi is a type
of hourglass which helps us to know the time has reached 48 minutes. During the
samayik some people read religious books, while others may recite Navkar
mantra with mara or with the help of anupurvi or some may do meditation.
During samayik, we should not talk or think of anything that involves any level of
violence. Therefore, before starting the samayik we should stop our business
activities, family affairs, and other matters, so that we do not get disturbed. We
should inform our friends and family members to leave us alone from these
matters during this time. During the samayik we should not discuss, read or talk
about sensual things, or things related to worldly matters. During the samayik, our
movements also should be limited so that we can observe ahimsa (non-violence)
more easily. We should select a quiet, isolated place so that we are not disturbed
by events going on around us. Because of such a detached atmosphere, and
since we do not get involved in any worldly things for 48 minutes of samayik, we
are like sadhus who live a detached life all throughout their life. Thus, this practice
gives us some glimpse of monkhood and leads us in that direction.
Just as we have to be careful about how we drive to avoid an accident, or get a
speeding ticket, in the same way we have to be careful that we do not run into any
trouble while performing our samayik. If we are not careful we can violate samayik
by our mental, verbal and physical activities.
Though it may look difficult, it is not impossible to do samayik the right way.
This way samayik helps us in preventing the accumulation of new karmas and the
penance we do during samayik helps us to remove some of our accumulated
karmas.
Article by, Varsha Dilip Harania
There are ten MENTAL
violations:
1) to be disrespectful
2) to be greedy for fame
3) to be greedy for gains
4) to be proud
5) to be in fear
6) to expect the rewards
7) to doubt the rewards
8) to be in anger
9) to be rude
10) to despise.
There are ten VERBAL
violations:
1) to use abusive words
2) to use alarming words
3) to say non-religious words
4) to speak inadequately
5) to use words to incite fights
6) to gossip
7) to make fun
8) to pronounce improperly
9) to use irrational words
10) to use jargon.
There are twelve PHYSICAL
violations:
1) to sit at an unsuitable place
2) not to sit steady
3) to walk every now and then
4) doing homework
5) to stretch the body
6) to lean against a support
7) being lazy
8) cracking knuckles
9) to clean body dirt
10) to scratch body
11) to make vulgar postures
12) to sleep.
Oshwal Youth Magazine of O.A.U.K. 13 June 2013 Edition