Customs and Practices

Jains are vegetarians and not only that they don’t eat the roots of plants because that kills the plant. Instead they only eat the leafs, fruit, and seed of the plant. And also root vegetables contain infinite microorganisms called nigodas. Jain monks and nuns practice very strict asceticism and try to make their current birth their last, and ending their cycle of transmigration. Monks and nuns walk barefoot and sweep the ground in front of them to avoid killing insects and other tiny beings. Even though all life is sacred, human life is the most sacred one. Thus it is vital not to upset any human either. Pratikarman is the practice of confession and repentance. It’s when they look back on all the bad thoughts during the day and trying not to make those mistakes again (BBC). This helps Jains to get away from criticizing other people and develop and self analysis and self improvement.

            Jains practice samayika which means equanimity in sanskirt. During this they stay calm and undisturbed for at least forty eight minutes. Another thing they use often to stay calm is meditation. The twelve contemplats for meditation are impermanence, protection, worldly existence, solitude of the soul, separateness of the soul, impureness of the body, influx of karma, stoppage of influx of karma, karma shedding, universe, difficulties in developing triple jems of Jainism, and difficulties of practicing Jain Dharma. Jains encourage to refer to these thoughts with peace love and friendship to all, appreciation respect and delight for others, compassion to souls who are suffering, and equanimity and tolerance in dealing with someone’s else’s thoughts, words, or actions. There are also four different types of fasting.  There’s complete fasting and that’s when you give up all food and drink for a period of time. There’s partial fasting in which you eating less than you need to avoid hunger. There’s vruti sankshepa where you limit the number of food items eaten. And finally there’s rasa parityaga and that’s giving up favorite foods. Fasting is said to keep the demands of the body under check (Sutaria).