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Archive for September 4th, 2011

Why Jains Should Drink Boiled Water

04 Sep

Jains, while performing Biyasan and any higher austerity have to drink only boiled water. First, water should be filtered and boiled and then cooled, Then they can drink it; that too, only before the sunset; not after that. They should not drink water in the nights. Of course, when water is heated once, all the countless beings in it, die.

But according to the Jain doctrines, in boiled water beings will not be born and so will not die for a certain period according to the season. In unboiled water every moment countless creatures are born and they die. So if once the water is boiled further violence is avoided. The sin of killing creatures is committed only once if the water is heated; and this avoids the committing of that sin again and again.

Thoughtful people incur a small loss if by that small loss they can get a large profit. Of course, we should not cause violence to creatures; but we cannot live without water; so minimizing sins, we should use water. If the use of hot water is necessary, it has to be used. Meaningless use is improper. Infact the science has also supported this fact. Now-a-days, even great physicians and doctors prescribe the drinking of hot water. Boiled water is good for health.

 

Meaning of Paryushan

04 Sep

The word “Paryushan” has several different meanings:

Pari + ushan = all kinds + to burn = to burn (shed) our all types of karmas. To shed our karmas, we do twelve different types of austerities including fasting.

Another meaning of “ushan” is to stay closer. To stay closer to our own soul from all directions and to stay absorbed in our own-self (soul), we do Svadhyaya5 (self-study), meditation, austerities, etc.

Pari + upshamana = upshamana means to suppress, to suppress our passions (kashayas – anger, ego, deceit and greed) from all directions.

Therefore, the real purpose of the Paryushan is to purify our soul by staying closer to our own soul, to look at our own faults, to ask for forgiveness for the mistakes we have committed, and take vows to minimize our faults. We try to forget about the needs of our body (like food) and our business so that we can concentrate on our-self.