Vastu-shastra (Vol. I: Hindu Science of Architecture; Vol. II: Hindu Canons of Iconography and Painting) v2.c75.s2.8

v2.c75.s2.8

**The Arcā of the Jains :—**the mode of worship among the Jains is neither very elaborate nor very complicated. It is very simple—Pradakṣiṇā, Praṇāma and Puṣpa—three ‘P’s will do. The more elaborate will consist of jala-pūjā, candana-pūjā, akṣata-pūjā and naivedya-pūjā to be followed by Ārti—the pañcopācras will do (cf. the 16 upacāras of the Hindus—vide Pr. Vijñ. chap. IX). Three other important features of Jain ritual and worship are : ‘Sāmayika’ reading (the reading of spiritual books), keeping fasts (which characterises their rigour of asceticism) and pilgrimage. ‘Besides the image-worship of the Tīrthankaras and some subordinate deities, the worship of the Siddhacakra (which is invariably kept in a Jain temple) has found a firm hold on the Jain devotee’. Later on Jain temple-worship also got complicated in conformity to their religious order. Jain temples became the centre of their religious activities. They were their churches—worship, recitation and ceremonies (like Samavasaraṇa—special decorations) all added to this development bringing them on a par to a Hindu temple.