1

Of

Pratikramana Sutra

Interpretation and explanation of

Pratikramana stotras in English.

Exposition

2

PREFACE (1)

Jaina scriptures have prescribed six necessary or essential duties, (Ävashyak) for a

Jaina layman for their spiritual progress to attain the perfection &

purification of the soul which are:

(1) Sämäyika: Equanimity (2) Chaturvimsati stava: Prayer

(3) Vandanä: Respecting Ascetics (4) Pratikramana: Repentance &

Confession of sins (5) Käyotsarga: Meditation on Self (6) Pratyäkhyäna : Religious Vows

SaSämäyika

Chauvvisattho

Vandana

Pratikramana

Kayotsarga

PacchakkhänaSix

Essential Duties

Six Essential Duties

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Sämäyika

Sämäyika means:

The practice of unbroken meditative equanimity of the soul.

Remaining calm and undisturbed for 48 minutes (time for one

Sämäyika).

Equanimity towards all living beings.

Abandonment of every thought which is tainted by desire and aversion.

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Chaturvimsati stava

Chaturvimsati stava, Chauvisantho or Dev Vandanä means:

Eulogy to Lord Tirthankars.

Praying, remembering and appreciating the 24 Tirthankar’s achievements and their victories over toxic passions (anger, ego, deceit and greed).

Appreciation for showing us path of liberation.

(Vandanä is obeisance, prayer, bowing, salutation, praise, adoration, homage, worship, respect & veneration)

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Vandanä

Vandanä or Guru Vandanä means:

Offering obeisance to the preceptors.

Respecting and saluting ascetics for their valuable time for upliftment of our soul.

Obeisance to Sädhus (monks) and Sädhavis (nuns) for reminding that

sometime we too have to renounce the worldly attachments like them.  

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Pratikramana

Pratikramana means:

Retreat from sins. Turning back to Self for regaining lost moral and spiritual ground.

Turning back from lapses and transgressions.

To repent and confess our bad deeds and thoughts.

Practice of confession and expiation (atonement) of the past misdeeds by recitation of sacred hymns.  

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Pratikramana (A1)

Types of Pratikramana:

The Pratikramana performed: (1) in the early morning is called Räi

Pratikramana. (2) in the evening is called Devasi Pratikramana. (3) on the 14/15th day of

every fortnight is called Päkshi Pratikramana. (4) once every four months is called the

Chaturmäsik Pratikramana. (5) once in a year on the fourth/fifth day of the bright fortnight Bhadrapada month is

called Samvatsari Pratikramana.

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Käyotsarga

Käusagga or Käyotsarga means:

Non-attachment of the body by concentration & meditation on Self.

To be engrossed in the observation and analysis of one’s soul by forgetting about one’s body or physical being.

Meditating on the soul, in silence with perfect concentration and with absolute

peace of mind to make the body still and motionless is called Kayotsarg.  

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Pratyäkhyäna

Pratyäkhyana or Pachchakhän means:

Taking the appropriate vows.

To control our desires by adopting appropriate religious vows, by recitation of hymns to ward off future faults.

Bringing order and discipline into life by means of some daily vows.  

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PREFACE (2)

Pratikramana is the central theme of

these necessary duties as all the other

five are included in it.

By means of Pratikramana,

we contemplate on our sins, shortcomings,

misdoings, lapse of past and present, and by

realization along rectification of the same,

we are able to consolidate our future.

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PREFACE (2a)

In the Pratikramana,

we ask for forgiveness for our ill actions and

purify ourselves and improve upon

our future activities.

This enables us to shed off some of our

previous karmas and also to slow down or

prevent the inflow of new Karmas.

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PREFACE (3)

The sequence of the six essentials is also set in scientific manner.

First being Sämäyika, that teaches us the virtue of equanimity, without which it is not possible to cultivate attainment of the good and

abandonment from the sins.

After becoming a devotee of good deeds, a person becomes the devotee of good doers,

hence now comes the place of Chaturvimsati stava.

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PREFACE (4)

Only after becoming a devotee of the good doers, one pledges his obeisance, which is Vandanä.

He who has modesty in thoughts, word and deed remains away from misconduct and is

ever alert about misdoings.

If there is breach of the same, he/she will be determined to rectify the same and

revert to the truth.

Therefore after vandanä, 4th essential is the Pratikramana in the sequence of essentials.

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PREFACE (5)

Now having established the basic purity, one contemplates upon the past & present even without consideration of his/her

mortal body which is Käyotsarga.

Now after regretting, repenting and reverting, one has to make provisions for tomorrow, this is attained by renunciation of our desires by adopting certain religious vows,

which is Pratyäkhyäna.

All of these put together, sets us on the right path.

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PREFACE (6)

The prayers which are recited during the

Pratikramana are mostly in

Sanskrit and Präkrit (Ardhmäghdhi).

This presentation provides a simplified

unconventional English interpretation to make it

easy for an average reader to understand the

meaning of the Pratikramana stoträs.

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List of sutra (1-10)

1. Namukkäro Suttam 2. Panchindiya Sutra

3. Khamäsamana Sutra 4. Ichchhakära sutra 5. Abbhutthio Sutra 6. Shri Iriyävahiyam 7.

Tassa Uttari Sutra 8. Shri Annattha Sutra 9. Logassa Sutra 10. Karemi Bhante Sutra

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List of sutra (11-20)

11. Sämäiya Vayjutto Sutra 12. Jagachintämani Sutra 13. Shri Jamkinchi Sutra 14. Namu tthu nam 15. Jävanti Cheiäim Sutra 16. Jävant ke vi Sähu Sutra 17. Namorhat Sutra 18. Uvasaggaharam Stavana Sutra 19.

Jaya Viyaräya Sutra 20. Arihantacheiyänam Sutra

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List of sutra (21-30)

21. Kalläna kandam Sutra 22. Sansäradävä Stuti 23. Pukkharavaradivaddhe Sutra 24. Siddhänam Buddhänam 25. Veyävachchagaränam Sutra 26. Bhagawänaham Sutram 27. Devsia Padikkamane Thäum Sutra 28. Ichchhämi thämi Sutra 29. Nänammi Sutra 30. Suguru Vandana Sutra

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List of sutra (30-40)

31. Devasiam Äloum Sutra 32. Säta Läkha Sutra 33. Adhära Päpasthänaka Sutra 34. Vandittu Sutra 35. Äyaria Uvajjhäe Sutra 36. Sua Devayä Stuti 37. Kshetra Devatä Ni Stuti 38. Kamala Dala Stuti 39. Namostu Varddhamänäya Sutra 40. Vishäla Lochana Sutra

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List of sutra (40-49)

41. Varakanaka Sutra 42. Shri Bhavana Devatä Stuti 43. Kshetra Devatä Stuti 44. Addhäijjesu 45. Laghu Shänti Stava Sutra 46. Chaukkasäya Sutra 47. Mannaha Jinänam Sajjhäya 48. Bharahesara Sajjhäya 49. Sakala tirtha Vandanä Sutra

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Number of presentations.

Exposition of Pratikramana sutras:

(1) Introduction (2) 1 Navkär Mantra

(3) 1-10 (4) 11-17, 19-20

(5) 18 Uvasaggaharam (6) 21-30

(7) 31-33, 35-40 (8) 34 Vandittu

(9) 41-49

Please read all nine presentations.

How to get most benefit.

To get most benefit from the stotra one should recite with :

(a) Clear pronunciation

(b) Deep, Inexhaustible, Unbreakable faith

and with conscientious devotion

towards Arihant’s teachings.

How to get most benefit.

To get most benefit from the stotra, one should recite with

(c) Ultra pure mind, without even slightest

of attachment (raag) & malice (dwesh)

towards any Living beings.

Thank you & Michhämi Dukaddam

If we have made any mistakes Please accept our sincere apologies.

“Handbook of Pratikramana” by Shri Manu Doshi and

other Jain web sites & books.

Material in this presentation is compiled data, using “Exposition of Pratikramana stoträs” by Shri Rati

Dodhia, “Shri Sämäyika-Pratikramana sootra” by Mahasatiji Dharmashilaji and

Thank you & Michhämi Dukaddam

Please let us know, if you have any

suggestions to improve this presentation or

for a copy of the presentation write to

bakulah@yahoo.com

Harshad, Bakula & Maniar family,

Shäshan Viruddha käi lakhäyu hoy to

man, vachan ane käyä thi Micchhämi dukkadam