Siddhachakra is a popular yantra or mandala (mystical diagram) used for worship in Jainism . It is also known as Navapada in the Śvetāmbara tradition and Navadevta in the Digambara tradition. In the Śvetāmbara tradition it is associated with the Namokar Mantra . It is related to the legend of King Shripala and his wife Mayanasundari. It is depicted as a Kalasha with the core of a blossomed lotus representing Navapada in the centre surrounded by guarding deities on petals. It is used in some rituals.
26-531: Siddha refers to a liberated soul, while chakra means wheel. It is believed that worshiping Siddhachakra results in freedom from the cycles of life within a universal 'wheel' known as nirvana . It also means a 'circle of perfection'. Navapada means 'nine petals' in reference to the centre of the yantra, while Navadevta means 'nine deities'. It is also described as a 'saint wheel'. The two major sects of Jainism, Śvetāmbara and Digambara , differ in their concept of Siddhachakra . The first five deities, known as
52-420: A king named Singharth and a queen Kamalprabha of Champanagar. His brother Ajitsen captured Champanagar when he died. To save five-year-old Shripal from his uncle, Kamalprabha fled from the city and left him with a group of lepers while being chased by soldiers. Shripal was also infected by leprosy. He changed his name to Umar Rana and became the group's leader. Eventually he reached Ujjain where King Prajapal
78-483: Is called bhavyata . However, bhavyata itself does not guarantee mokṣa , as the soul needs to expend necessary efforts to attain it. On the other hand, abhavya souls are those souls who cannot attain liberation as they do not have faith in mokṣa and hence never make any efforts to attain it. According to Jainism, purification of soul and liberation can be achieved through the path of three jewels: Samyak darśana (Correct View), meaning faith, acceptance of
104-556: Is depicted as a pot with a large base and a mouth generally covered with a lid or topped with a coronet of mango leaves and a coconut. It is decorated with clothes and ornaments in images. Two eyes are depicted around the Kalasha, symbolising right faith and right knowledge. At the neck of the Kalasha are nine small pots known as Nav Nidhi which describe nine kinds of wealth or treasures. Nine shrines dedicated to Navagraha are at
130-541: Is surrounded by circles of petals called valaya which describe various concepts and guarding deities as mantras. Some have additional petals describing four vira (guarding deities) and ten Digpala (protectors of ten directions). The sun and moon are depicted on the right and left side of the Kalasha , respectively. There are four shrines with guarding deities in the four corners: Kshetrapala , Vimaleshwar, Chakreshvari , and Aprasiddha Siddha Chakradhisthanak. Sometimes King Shripal and Queen Mayanasundari are depicted on
156-493: Is the highest and the noblest objective that a soul should strive to achieve. In fact, it is the only objective that a person should have; other objectives are contrary to the true nature of soul. With the right view, knowledge and efforts all souls can attain this state. That is why Jainism is also known as mokṣamārga or the "path to liberation". According to the Sacred Jain Text, Tattvartha sutra : Owing to
182-633: The Panch Parmeshthi (five supreme beings) are the same in both traditions while the other four are different. They were traditionally known as Navapada in the Śvetāmbara tradition and Navadevta in the Digambara tradition. Siddhachakra most likely originally had only the Panch Parmesthi , Arihant in the center and the other four in petals in four different directions. It may have been inspired from Namaskara Valaya based on
208-803: The Namokar Mantra as in some older Siddhachakra . The four last lines describing phalashruti (benefits) are depicted in addition to the petals at the four corners. They are described by Acharya Hemachandra in Yogashastra . He also noted that Vajraswami (BCE 57 – 57 CE) derived it from the lost Vidyanupravad parva text. It seems that the other four pada s were added later. Acharya Dinkara (1411 CE) described Navapada in Nandyavrata Mandala . Nirvanakalika (c. 11th century) described it but replaced Tapa with Suchi-vidya . Ratnamandira Gani or Acharya Ratnashekhara wrote about
234-540: The Omniscient, Effulgent Soul rests permanently in the Highest State (of liberation). Nidhi Nidhi ( Sanskrit : निधि , romanized : nidhi ) is a Sanskrit term meaning, "treasure". It is generally used to indicate the nine treasures called navanidhi ( Sanskrit : नवनिधि , romanized : navanidhi ) belonging to Kubera , the god of wealth. According to tradition, each nidhi
260-414: The absence of the cause of bondage and with the functioning of the dissociation of karmas the annihilation of all karmas is liberation. From the point of view of potentiality of mokṣa , Jain texts bifurcates the souls into two categories: bhavya and abhavya . Bhavya souls are those souls who have faith in mokṣa and hence will make some efforts to achieve liberation. This potentiality or quality
286-463: The base of Kalasha which indicate nine 'cosmic influencers'. At the core is a fully blossomed lotus with many circles of petals marking different concepts in Jainism . Navpada (Nine elements) is at the core surrounded by circles of petals called valaya . There is variation in the number of circles made by the petals in different images but generally there are ten circles. Navapada is the core of
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#1732787180121312-579: The last stage are called siddha and become fully established in Right Faith, Right Knowledge and Right Conduct. Nirvāna means final release from the karmic bondage. When an enlightened human, such as an Arihant or a Tirthankara , extinguishes his remaining aghatiya karmas and thus ends his worldly existence, it is called nirvāna . Technically, the death of an Arhat is called their nirvāṇa, as he has ended his worldly existence and attained liberation. Moksha (liberation) follows nirvāṇa. However,
338-599: The legend of Shripal in Siri-Sirivala-Kaha in Prakrit along with Siddhachakra Puja in 1372 or 1362 CE, the earliest known reference. A later popular version called Shripal Rajano Ras was written in 1682 CE by Vinayvijay and Yashovijay. The legend takes place during the time of the twentieth Jain Tirthankara Munisuvrata , about 1.1 million years ago according to Jain traditions. There was
364-477: The liberated pure soul ( Siddha ) goes up to the summit of universe ( Siddhashila ) and dwells there in eternal bliss. According to Jainism, the Ratnatraya or "three Gems", samyagdarśana (correct perception), samyagjñāna (right knowledge) and samyakchāritra (right conduct), together constitute the mokṣamarga or the path to liberation. According to Acharya KundaKunda 's Samayasara : Belief in
390-406: The liberation or salvation of a soul from saṃsāra , the cycle of birth and death. It is a blissful state of existence of a soul, attained after the destruction of all karmic bonds . A liberated soul is said to have attained its true and pristine nature of infinite bliss, infinite knowledge and infinite perception. Such a soul is called siddha and is revered in Jainism . In Jainism , moksha
416-403: The lotus. Navapada includes five supreme beings having virtues, Guni or Panch Parmeshthi , and four right virtues, Guna s according to Śvetāmbara tradition. Their attributes are described in 108 scriptures. They are also illustrated in silver or copper plates for worship. In the Digambara tradition, it has the same Panch Parmeshthi but the other four elements are different. Navapada
442-610: The months of Chaitra (March/April) and Ashwin (September/October) of the Jain calendar . A procession of Siddhachakra is carried out in towns known as Jalayatra . It is a complex ritual taking a half day in which a whole Siddhachakra is created on a floor using lentils. Mantras are recited along with performing puja starting in the centre of the Siddhachakra and moving towards the outside. Nirvana (Jainism) Sanskrit moksha or Prakrit mokkha refers to
468-400: The nine substances as they are is right faith (samyagdarśana). Knowledge of these substances without doubt, delusion or misapprehension, is right knowledge (samyagjñāna). Being free from attachment etc. is right conduct (samyakcāritra). These three, together, constitute the path to liberation. Samyak Darsana or rational perception is the rational faith in the true nature of every substance of
494-549: The other four. Large types includes all of the structures described below called Brihad Siddhachakra or Siddhachakra Mahayantra . Small types are found frequently in Jain temples and in carvings while larger ones are found in brass plate form or made of different lentils during rituals on special occasions. It is depicted as a Kalasha with an eye on both sides and a core made of a fully blossomed lotus. It has many circles of petals marking different concepts in Jainism . A Kalasha
520-493: The sides of the Kalasha as based on a legend. Navapada Aradhana is associated with the Shripal-Mayanasundari legend. Navapada Aradhana is performed by meditating on Navapada and doing an ayambil. In an ayambil, only one meal is eaten each day of plain food without any spices, sugar, salt, oil, butter, milk, vegetables or fruits. It is performed for nine days, twice a year. It is called Ayambil Oli. It falls in
546-540: The terms moksa and nirvana are often used interchangeably in the Jain texts . An Arhat becomes a siddha, the liberated one, after attaining nirvana. In that night in which the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira died, freed from all pains, the eighteen confederate kings of Kasi and Kosala, the nine Mallakis and nine Licchavis, on the day of new moon, instituted an illuminations on the Poshadha, which
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#1732787180121572-473: The truth of soul ( jīva ); Samyak jnana (Correct Knowledge), meaning undoubting knowledge of the tattvas ; and Samyak charitra (Correct Conduct), meaning behavior consistent with the Five vows. Jain texts often add samyak tap (Correct Asceticism) as a fourth jewel, emphasizing belief in ascetic practices as the means to liberation (moksha). The four jewels are called moksha marg . According to Jain texts,
598-402: The universe. Samyak Caritra or rational conduct is the natural conduct of a (soul) living being. It consists in following austerities, engaging in right activities and observance of vows, carefulness and controls. Once a soul secures samyaktva , mokṣa is assured within a few lifetimes. The fourteen stages on the path to liberation are called Gunasthāna . These are: Those who pass
624-493: Was a fasting day; for they said: 'Since the light of intelligence is gone, let us make an illumination of material matter!'(128) A liberated soul dwells in Siddhashila with infinite faith, infinite knowledge, infinite perception, and infinite perfection. According to the Jain text, Puruşārthasiddhyupāya : Having achieved the ultimate goal, knowing everything that needs to be known, and enjoying eternal and supreme bliss,
650-575: Was also described in Pratishtha-Sirodhara by Ashadhar, Jin-samhita by Indranandi (c. 10th century), and Paratishtha-Kalpa-Tippanam by Kumudchanra. Jinasamhita by Ekasamdhi (c. 1250 CE) described it in detail, depicting it as similar to Brihad Siddhachakra . There are two types of Siddhachakra. The small types have only a central part depicting Nav pada which only includes Arihant , Siddha (liberated souls), Acharya (leaders), Upadhyaya (teachers) and Sadhu (monks) along with
676-556: Was ruling. Out of anger from being disrespected by his daughter, Mayanasundari, he married her to the leprous Shripal. They met a Jain monk, Munichandra, who advised them to do a ritual named Ayambil Oli which is dedicated to the central Navpada in Siddhachakra. It cured Shripal's leprosy along with that of 700 other lepers. Later he conquered Ujjain and Champanagar. Navdevata was depicted as Pratishtha-vidhi-mandala in Pratishtha-tilaka by Nemichandra (c. 15th century). It
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