Article: Giving alms

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Digambara monk receives alms

This video on YouTube shows the ancient Digambara ritual of seeking and receiving alms. After witnessing an idol of a Jina being anointed –the abhiṣeka or abhishek ceremony – a naked Digambara monk seeks alms accompanied by novices wearing white robes. The monk carries only his water pot – kamaṇḍalu – and peacock-feather broom – piñchī. While the muni performs the full alms-receiving ritual, the novices eat alms in the usual Indian style of eating. The video underlines the importance for lay Jains of giving alms to mendicants. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGI-g7XHR1o

Digambara monk takes alms from lay women

This video on YouTube shows a Digambara monk eating alms offered by lay women. The women gather round and put spoonfuls of food into his cupped hands. He moves his thumbs quickly through it to ensure it is pure enough to eat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUl-pjZF_TU

Re-enactment of the story of Candanabālā

This slideshow displays the re-enactment of the story of Candanabālā, who offered Mahāvīra appropriate food to break his fast. Sold into slavery, the beautiful princess has her lovely hair chopped off and is starved for three days. Even so, her first act when released is to offer alms to a passing mendicant. He is Mahāvīra, who becomes the 24th Jina, and he has been fasting for nearly six months. Candanabālā’s act of selfless charity despite her suffering causes her hair to be restored and her true identity revealed. The story of this virtuous woman – one of the soḷa satī – emphasises the importance of offering alms correctly. Acting out such stories is an important part of many Jain festivals. This re-enactment on YouTube was performed by Śvetāmbara Jains in Melbourne, Australia during the festival of Paryuṣaṇ in 2010.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vO4tU0lvVTw

Śvetāmbara nun and her broom

This Śvetāmbara nun attends to her white cotton broom, called by the Sanskrit term rajoharaṇa or the Prakrit word oghā. All Jain mendicants use brooms to sweep the ground before sitting or lying down so they do not accidentally kill tiny living creatures. At her side in the photo on Flickr are some begging bowls – known by the Sanskrit word pātra –  Śvetāmbara mendicants use to receive alms from lay people.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/clodreno/97085607/in/set-72057594061325828

Five Great Monastic Vows

Pravin K. Shah writes about the Five Great Vows taken by Jain monks and nuns. The information is provided by the Jainism Literature Center, associated with the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University.

http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~pluralsm/affiliates/jainism/jainedu/5greatvows.htm