What is Jain Diksha and what does it entail?
By: Rushit Jain, Divya Shah, Anish Visaria
“Diksha” is the ritual through which an individual formally takes vows to lead a life of asceticism or spiritual discipline. All beings have an ultimate goal in their life which is salvation, but they are distracted by worldly desires. After taking Diksha one’s goal is to clear all the paap (sins) that they have committed in their past and only after that can Moksha (salvation) be attained.
Diksha Mahotsav is a major event that occurs in a person’s life. This is the ceremony that occurs when a Shravak or Shravika (layperson) chooses to take Diksha. The ceremony includes many parts. One of which is donating money and material goods to demonstrate that wealth is an illusion of happiness. Additionally, there is a speech given by the person taking Diksha which serves as a motivation to others attending the event. Another event is Vesh Parivartan which means “to change clothes” occurs where they sacrifice all the colors in their lives and stick to white clothes for the rest of their lives. Lastly, they go to their Guru and get permission to take Diksha. The Guru then takes his hands up in the air and gives a Rajoharan to the person taking Diksha. Raj means dust and sins, and Haran means removal, so this signifies the removal of all the dust and sins that are there in one’s soul, making it an unforgettable moment that stays with them as they advance in their spiritual journey.
Jain monks and nuns who have undergone Diksha are commonly known as Sadhus (monks) and Sadhvis (nuns). In the Diksha ceremony, the person taking Diksha, also known as a Diksharthi, is given 5 vows or ‘Pancha Mahavrats’ (five most important vows). According to the Acharanga Sutra, these Mahavrats are crucial for one to achieve the right knowledge, right faith, and right conduct, which eventually leads to Moksha. These 5 major vows are to be strictly followed by a monk/nun. While similar in nature to the 5 “Anuvratas”, or the set of vows for laypeople, these vows are followed in a much stricter manner by those striving for spiritual liberation. The 5 Mahavratas are as follows:
1)Non-Violence (Ahimsa Mahavrat or Pranatipaat Virman Mahavrat)
Being the cardinal principle of Jainism, non-violence is the first vow that a monk takes. Even though non-violence is to be practiced by all Jains, monks and nuns have more austere practices to follow. For example, they walk barefoot to avoid harming any forms of life including insects.
2)Truth (Satya Mahavrat or Mrushavaad Virman Mahavrat)
Speaking lies promotes hatred, disbelief, anger, greed, fear, etc. Possessing such negative emotions or becoming a medium of someone else’s negative characteristics creates negative karma. The Acharanga Sutra states that a Sadhu/Sadhvi must always speak the truth or if he/she thinks the truth will cause agony to someone, not speak at all. Similar to Ahimsa, Satya must be practiced in thoughts, words, and speech.
3)Non-Stealing (Achaurya Mahavrat or Asteya Mahavrat)
The word “chaurya” comes from the word “chori” (which means stealing in Hindi). “Achaurya” means avoiding “chaurya”, or simply, refusing from stealing. Jainism prohibits monks from possessing anything except the most essential things. Accepting anything more than their basic needs and requirements constitutes stealing. Stealing is also forbidden in thoughts, words, and actions.
4)Celibacy (Brahmacharya Mahavrat or Maithun Virman Mahavrat)
Celibacy is the avoidance of sensual pleasures. It is believed that indulging in sensual pleasures leads to a sidelining of all morals and virtues. Often believed to be the most difficult to follow even in its physical form, this vow must also be followed in thoughts and words. By refraining from even touching the opposite gender, monks and nuns observe this vow strictly throughout their renounced life.
5)Non-Possession (Aparigraha Mahavrat or Parigrah Virman Mahavrat)
Since material possessions lead to strong feelings such as ego, attachment to inanimate things, and indulgence in pointless activities, monks are prohibited from possessing anything more than the bare minimum required to live a moral life. Since monks and nuns do not possess anything, they ask for alms, clothes, places to stay and sleep, etc. Possessions cause indulgence in luxurious activities which eventually leads to attachment. In Jainism, we believe attachment leads to bondage to the cycle of birth-death-rebirth.
There is a proverb saying that — “Diksha is eating chickpeas made out of metal using teeth made out of wax.” Not everyone is capable of following such a strict lifestyle for the rest of their lives. There are three quite challenging things one must undergo after Diksha namely-
Loch — Kesh Lochan is a ritual which involves plucking out individual hairs from the head, one by one, using hands. This is done as a symbol of detachment from the physical body and a demonstration of spiritual renunciation. It is sacrificing the beauty of hair and getting attached to the inner soul.
Gochari — Jain monks do not cook food themselves as they are not allowed to use any kind of fire as it involves killing fire-bodied beings. They ask for food from other people’s homes and there are many rules involved. The biggest rule is that they cannot get all of their food from a single household as they should only take an amount that will not cause a shortage of food in that house. Many times adequate food is not found by monks or the food may be raw or cold/hot/spicy/sour, but they eat it without any complaints.
Vihar — Vihar is a process where Jain monks leave one place and travel to another place barefoot. Jain monks do vihar frequently as they don’t stay at one place for a long time except during the monsoon (rainy) season. The place where they stay is called an Upaashray. Upaashrays usually have no electricity or facilities. They are just empty spaces where monks/nuns can live, sleep, study, and practice spiritual activities peacefully.
While all branches of Jainism (e.g. Shwetambar, Digambar, and Sthanakvasi) share the core principles of non-violence, renunciation, and spiritual liberation, their monastic practices differ in some key areas.
Digambar Jain monks, known as “sky-clad” for their practice of wearing no clothing, represent the pinnacle of asceticism within the Jain tradition. They embody a life of complete non-possession and detachment from material things. However, their journey is far from one of mere outward austerity. These monks carry only minimal tools for survival: a peacock feather duster to gently clear insects from their path, a wooden water pot, and their own cupped hands for receiving alms.
Within the Shwetambar branch of Jainism lies the distinct sect of the Sthanakvasi, meaning “dwellers of the meeting house.” Central to their beliefs is the rejection of idol veneration. They view it as unnecessary for spiritual progress and maintain that the soul, being formless, shouldn’t be represented by physical idols. Instead, their focus lies on internal devotion and following strict ethical principles. Sthanakvasi monks and nuns, identifiable by their constant use of a mouth veil (muhapatti), symbolize this inward journey. They adhere to strict ascetic practices, carrying only essential items like a broom and a cloth.
As mentioned before, not everyone can or has the bhav (desire) to take Diksha in their lifetime. However, just like Jain monks and nuns have 5 Mahavratas, followers of Jainism have 12 basic Vratas (vows) as described in the Agams. The 11th vow is Pausadha Vrata. By taking this vow a lay person lives like a monk or nun for a limited time. Anything that may interfere with the person’s ability to successfully follow the 5 Mahavrats for the duration is not permitted. The main aim of taking the Pausadha Vrata is to minimize sins and maximize good karma in our own life, so that we can annihilate the bad karma. It is a way to experience Diksha for a temporary period of time. Every Jain should take the Pausadha Vrat from time to time to avoid sins.
In conclusion, Diksha is a pivotal ceremony in Jainism which marks the commencement of a monk/nun’s journey towards spiritual liberation. During Diksha Mahotsav, individuals commit to renouncing worldly desires and adhere to strict vows. These vows symbolize a life of moral and spiritual purity which guides them towards spiritual enlightenment. While not everyone can take Diksha, followers can still engage in spiritual practices like the Pausadha Vrat to align with Jain principles and minimize their sins. Additionally, we can support the sadhu/sadhvis by serving them during gochari, walking with them during their vihar, and showing them respect when we see them. Overall, Diksha embodies the Jain principle of renunciation and serves as a profound step towards achieving Moksha.
References
Acharanga Sutra
