Today, before saying Michcha Mi Dukkadan for Pratikramana, let us talk today about what are the five things which are called the focal point of sins and the source of suffering, from which life can become peaceful and beautiful if turned away from.
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Today is the last day of Samvatsari i.e. Paryushan. Today almost all Jains observe Samvatsari Pratikramana in the evening. Did you know? In the Samvatsari Pratikramana Mahatma recites the Samvatsari Sutra. This sutra gives a detailed description of the Panchamahavrata which is considered mandatory to be observed by the Jain monks in subtle form and in gross form by the listeners. Strictly speaking, the root of all sins, all miseries and all our problems, if any, lies in non-observance of these five Mahavratas. That is, if we learn to follow the five Mahavratas, then perhaps there will not be any kind of problem, trouble, pain in our life.
Today, people will perform the duty of Samvatsari by saying Michcha Mi Dukkadan. Michha Mi Dukkadan means to apologize and give forgiveness for the wrongs done. Today, let us understand what are the Pancha Mahavratas and how we invite mistakes, troubles and pains by making mistakes in them. If we say Michcha Mi Dukkadan with a pure heart keeping these Panch Mahavrats in front of our eyes, then next year when we say Michcha Mi Dukkadan again on Samvatsari Parva, our book will probably be cleaner than today. An exemplary conversation with Param Pujya Munishree Rajsunderavijayji Maharajsaheb on this subject is presented.
Very important
Regarding the importance of the five Mahavratas in Jainism, Pujyashree Rajsundarvijayji Maharaj says, ‘These five Mahavratas are connected with every moment of our life. To be free from five types of doshas by mind, speech and body in three ways is also called Virmana Mahavrata. Viramana means to stop. Stopping in the five kinds of defilements. These five Mahavratas have been shown to be essential for the listeners in the gross sense and for the Mahatma in the subtle sense. Ahimsa, Asteya, Adattadana, Brahmacharya and Aparigraha. These five types of Viraman Vratas should be tried consciously in life. On this Samvatsari day, if these five types of vows are kept in mind while giving ‘Michcha Mi Dukdam’, then one can move forward in the direction of guilt-free life and this can also increase the prevalence of happiness in his life.’
Ahimsa | We consider killing someone as violence. However, from the Jain point of view, violence is also caused by us at a very subtle level. Pujya Shri Rajsundarvijayji says, ‘In our colloquial language, we often use expressions like ring mari, miscall maryo. The use of the word ‘mar’ is also a form of violence at a subtle level. Uttering the kind of speech that hurts someone, using the kind of language is also violence. Even if you don’t lay a hand on anyone, but imagine that you have slapped someone or if you have the thought of hitting someone in your mind, that is also violence. Abortion or counseling is also violence. Eating animal chocolate means eating any diet that includes ingredients that can be called non-veg. If there is chocolate, ice cream, that is also violence. If you eat chocolates in the shape of animals, you will be guilty of violence. Wearing animal-shaped clothes, using such towels or blankets, using pesticides, etc. all involve violence. Now at the level of listeners one should try to stop from this wherever they can stop and while seeking michha mi dukkdan one should keep in mind even the subtleties involved in such a routine and apologize.’
Asteya | That means not lying. We often lie without realizing it. Even if the intention is not bad, if you tell a lie, what is the problem, if you have a big sin, then Pujya Shri Rajsundarvijayji gives the answer, ‘Even if you tell a lie for no reason, it gradually becomes a ritual. You haven’t left home and yet you get a call and say yes I just left. 9 is five minutes short and if you say it is 9 o’clock then that is also a lie. It is also guilty of lying. Lying with intention is bad, but lying unintentionally is not right. Garbhashrimant Bhai, who came to us, heard the talk about lies in the lecture and said that I also have a habit of telling lies and I want to get rid of it, so we showed him a way to use 100 rupees for some good work whenever I tell a lie. When the brother came back after about a week to discuss the matter, he told us that he had used Rs 38,000 in a week. When we were also surprised, the brother said that he had said 100 rupees once, but I thought that 1000 rupees was a lie, but I thought that 1000 rupees are eternal bad habits, so if the punishment to get rid of them is less, then maybe we should not take it seriously, so I increased the fine for myself a little. . If everyone looks at himself in this way with a little awareness, he can see where he is making subtle mistakes and unwittingly favoring lies. You bear false witness for someone. Create a false birth certificate. Getting the license wrongly, so many people made a wrong corona-report in Corona. Starting an account in a false name on social media and harassing people, using abusive and vulgar language, slandering someone, plotting to hurt someone are all related to the sin of falsehood, i.e. idolatry. One should consciously try to get rid of it step by step.’
Adatta Donation | That is to steal. Pujya Sri Rajsundarvijayji further talks about this topic and says, ‘Datta means given or given and adatta means not given. If we take something that has not been given by someone without asking, it is guilty of adatta dana i.e. theft. You are standing somewhere to do some work and you need a pen and if you take that pen without asking you will be guilty of theft. If you pick up someone’s phone in your home without asking, that is also theft. Placing something in one’s own name is also theft. Traveling without a ticket, taking things found on the road, mixing things, tampering with weight, becoming a trustee in an organization and benefiting from that amount, betraying someone financially, tax evasion are many things that are included in adatta dana i.e. theft. A lot of problems can arise from here, so one should be as aware as possible and try to stay away from this type of activity.’
Brahmacharya | We have associated celibacy only with the relationship between man and woman, but abusing any senses, having attachment to the senses is consumption of Brahma, violation of celibacy vow, Pujya Rajsundarvijayji says, ‘That is, abusing the eyes by not seeing is Brahma. Forgetting consciousness for the sake of taste and overstepping one’s limit for nourishment is a violation of brahmacharya vrata. Excessive use of various perfumes for fragrance i.e. olfactory sense is a violation of Brahmacharya Vrata. Paying attention to the senses is a breach of celibacy. So when saying michha mi dukkadan such things should be included. Many things should come before your eyes and in the same way you should try to place celibacy in life.’
Aparigraha | The general understanding is that to accumulate or hoard anything is called parigraha and to be free from it is aparigraha. Pujya Sri Rajasundarvijayji explains this topic in more detail and says, ‘There is a sentence in our scriptures, ‘Muchcha Pariggaho Vutto’ which means fainting or attachment is Parigraha. You have only three pairs of clothes, but even for those three pairs, if you have a lot of attachment, if you have affection for them, then realize that it is parigraha. Of course, it does not mean that having 50 pairs of clothes and no attachment is fine. One thing is necessity and another thing is inevitability. Keep with you what is indispensable and if you are not attached to it, it is not called Parigraha, but if you have more than what is indispensable, it is also called Parigraha. Abstinence is the best way to get rid of addiction. Suppose you are very fond of clothes, even if you make a rule that if I buy one pair of new clothes, I must give one pair of old clothes to someone, or if I do not keep more than twenty-five pairs of clothes, then such rules will activate you towards irreverence. Apart from this, things like making money by taking away one’s livelihood, making money from share-speculation, keeping things like house-land-gold in excess, hoarding, having intense attachment for what is not are also included in the fault of Parigraha. In an effort to move away from it and also for the wrong we are doing in that direction, it is necessary to offer Michcha Mi Dukkdan on this holy day.’
Stating that these five types of faults are the main faults, Venerable Shri Rajsundarvijayji Maharaj says, ‘If you gradually remove yourself from these five places and place the five Mahavratas in your life, it can bring about a great transformation in your life. On this day of Samvatsari, while giving Michcha Mi Dukkadan while saying sutras like Vanditu, Atichara, keeping these five Mahavratas in mind, one should say Michcha Mi Dukkadan for the sins committed by the person in that direction and also the ways to reduce such sins from life. should be found. For that, we should make ourselves accountable and move towards getting out of it methodically.’