The traditional Jain understanding is that during the monsoons, as life flourishes, the soil also is alive with innumerable small creatures. The Jain ascetics, who otherwise travel place to place to avoid attachment, stay rooted in a single location to avoid killing all these organisms in the soil as they walk. This period is referred to as chaturmasa or chaumasa, which literally means four months. Through these four months, all sects of Jainism have a number of days at a stretch set aside for a festival known as Paryushana. While many other festivals during this time are often the celebration of life in its richness, Paryushana focuses on the subtler nuance of the simple acts of day-to-day existence. It is also designed to bring awareness to the balance of the present moment.
Posted on: Mon, 27 Oct 2014 06:25:58 +0000
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