Q-1 What is the Jain Sangh?

Ans. Jain Sangh is formed of:
1) Sadhus
2) Sadhvis
3) Shrawaks, and
4) Shrawikas.

Q-2 Who establishes the Jain Sangh?

Ans. Jain Sangh is established by Tirthankar Bhagvantas.

Q-3 What is the name for the universe in Jainism?

Ans. In Jainism this universe is called Chaudarajlok.

Q-4 What are the divisions of Chauda Rajlok?

Ans. There are three divisions of the chaudrajlok.
They are:
1) Urdhva loka
2) Madhya loka
3) Addho loka.

Q-5 What is the Urdhva loka?

Ans. Urdhva loka means the universe above ground level.

Q-6 How many devlokas are there?

Ans. There are twelve devlokas.

Q-7 Can you name the devlokas?

Ans. Twelve devlokas are:
1) Sudharma
2) Ishan
3) Sanatkumar
4) Mahendra
5) Brahmloka
6) Lantak
7) Mahashukra
8) Sahastrar
9) Aanat
10) Pranat
11) Aaran, and
12) Achyuta.

Q-8 How many sub-types are in the Graiveyaks?

Ans. There are nine sub-types in the Graiveyaks Angels.

Q-9 Can you name the nine Graiveyaks?

Ans. Nine Graiveyaks Angels are:
1) Bhadre
2) Subhadre
3) Sujae
4) Sumanase
5) Priydansne
6) Sudansne
7) Aamohe
8) Supadibaddhe
9) Jasodhare.

Q-10 How may Anutara Vimnas are there?

Ans. There are five Anutar vimans.

Q-11 Can you name the five Anutara vimans?

Ans. Five Anutar vimans are:
1) Vijay
2) Vijayant
3) Jayant
4) Aparajit
5) Savarthsiddha.

Q-12 What is the Siddha Shila?

Ans. The Siddhashila is the abode for Siddha Bhagvantas.

Q-13 Where is the Siddha Shila?

Ans. The Siddhashila is about 100 miles above the banner of the Savarthsiddha Anutar viman.

Q-14 What is the Madhya loka?

Ans. Madhyaloka is the ground level of the universe.

Q-15 What is the addho loka?

Ans. The Addholok means abode for hellish beings which is below our ground level.

Q-16 How many Narakis are there?

Ans. Seven

Q-17 How many vratas do the shravakas have? 

Ans. The shrawaks take twelve anuvratas.  

Q-18 Can you name the shravaka’s vratas?

Ans. The twelve anuvratas:
1) Sthool pranatipat
2) Sthool mrishavad
3) Sthool adattadan
4) Sthool maithun
5) Sthool parigrah
6) Disha pariman
7) Bhogopbhog
8) Anarthadand
9) Samayik
10) Deshavagasik
11) Paushadh
12) Atithi sanvibhag

Q-19 What is The Sthool Pranatipatvirman Vrat

Ans. This vow is not to cause violence and pain to any creature knowingly unknowingly, mentally, verbally, or physically.

Q-20 What are the Atichar (Minor Violations) of The Sthool Pranatipatvirman rat? 

Ans. Atichar (Minor Violations) are:1) Binding any creature and putting it in a prison-house or a pound- house
2) The beating any living beings
3) Cutting down trees or plant or any parts of any living beings
4) Exterminating your house or using pesticides in farm
5) Yelling or bullying other people.

Q-21 What is The Sthool Mrishavadvirman Vrat?

Ans. This vow is not to utter a lie.

Q-22 What are the the Atichar (Minor Violations) of The Sthool Mrushavadvirman Vrat?

Ans. Atichar (Minor Violations) are:
1) Blaming, defaming or saying harsh words to others out of undue haste and carelessness
2) Revealing secrets of others or working as a spy
3) Revealing spouse's secrete or backbiting each other
4) Misleading persons by giving ill-advice or false preaching
5) Preparing false or forged documents or maintaining false accounts.

Q-23 What is The Sthool Adattadanvirman Vrat?

Ans. This vow is not to steal nor break into the house or the property of others, nor pick up unclaimed things without declaring. We should not avoid paying government taxes of any kind.

Q-24 What are the the Atichar (Minor Violations) of The Sthool Adattadanvirman Vrat?

Ans. Atichar (Minor Violations) are:
1) Buying stolen goods
2) Teaching the art of stealing or giving the shelter to the thieves
3) Doing anything against law of the land
4) Keeping false weights and measures and wrong balances
5) Giving inferior goods after showing superior quality or even adulterating.

Q-25 What is The Sthool Maithunvirman Vrat?

Ans. This vow is not to have Sensual contacts or desires with other than one’s spouse.

Q- What are the Atichar (Minor Violations) of The Sthool Maithunvirman Vrat?

Ans. Atichar (Minor Violations) are:
1) Having sexual relationship with underage spouse
2) Having premarital or extramarital sex
3) Looking intensely with sexual desires at the body of a woman or a man and express sexual desire, gestures, or making passes
4) To engage in arranging marriages of other than your own children
5) To be engrossed in the thoughts of Sensual pleasures.

Q-26 What is The Sthool Parigrahpariman Vrat?

Ans. This vow is to determine the limits to the acquisition of wealth belongings and to their use and can also include social positions. If it is not convenient to limit the value of each item, then we should limit the total numbers. We should not cross or adjust the limits knowingly or unknowingly in any way.

Q-27 What are the Atichar (Minor Violations) of The Sthool Parigrahpariman Vrat?

Ans. Atichar (Minor Violations) are:
1) Having the excessive money, gold, silver, etc.
2) having too many toys, cloths, furnitures, cameras, televisions etc.
3) Buying too much land, expensive houses or cars
4) Holding positions in many community organizations, or for a long period
5) Keeping many servants.

Q-28 What is The Dishapariman Vrat?

Ans. This vow is to limit and determine the extent to which one can go and return; and the area within which one can move or travel about. We should restrict or limit such distance, and thus, stop extra sins of traveling.

Q-29 What are the Atichar (Minor Violations) of The Dishapariman Vrat?

Ans. Atichar (Minor Violations) are:
1) Crossing the limit in upward direction
2) Crossing the limit in downward direction
3) Crossing the limit in east, west, north or south directions
4) Curtailing the limit in one direction and to extend the limit of other direction
5) Proceeding in spite of realizing that the limit is over.

Q-30 What is The Upbhog-Paribhogvirman Vrat?

Ans. This vow contains two words:
1) Bhog,
2) Upabhog.
Bhog implies the pleasures related to the things like food, water etc., which are used once. Upabhog implies the pleasures related to the things which may be used and enjoyed again and again such as houses, ornaments, clothes, etc. This vow is to put a limit to their use.

Q-31 What are the Atichar (Minor Violations) of The Upbhog-Paribhogvirman Vrat?

Ans. Atichar (Minor Violations) are:
1) Consuming raw vegetables (sachit things)
2) Consuming food connected with raw vegetables or raw-grain
3) Consuming some thing, which is partially cooked vegetables or flour, etc.
4) Eating half-cooked things like roasted corn, etc.
5) Consuming such things in which there is less to eat and more to waste (sugar-cane).

Q-32 What is The Anarthadand virman Vrat?

Ans. This vow is to renounce unnecessary and meaningless activities.

Q-33 What are the Atichar (Minor Violations) of The Anarthadand virman Vrat?

Ans. Atichar (Minor Violations) are:
1) Reading cheap literature and watching sensual or violent shows or movies
2) Making such bodily actions and gestures as laughing; provocative laughter, acting and making faces to insult others
3) Engaging in meaningless talk; gossiping and making unnecessary stir up
4) Manufacturing and or keeping weapons and devices to cause violence
5) Hoarding things relating to worldly and sensual enjoyment.

Q-34 What is The Samayik Vrat?

Ans. In this vow one has to be seated at one place for 48 minutes. In this, a person renounces all sinful activities. This helps us in remaining calm and steady i.e., we remain free from likes and dislikes of the world. During this time, we should do only religious activities and should abstain from attending to things of household life mentally, verbally and physically.

Q-35 What are the Atichar (Minor Violations) of The Samayik Vrat?

Ans. Atichar (Minor Violations) are:
1) Letting bad thoughts enter the mind
2) Uttering bad or harsh words
3) Moving around the body, or leaning against the wall, yawning sleeping etc.
4) Being careless
5) Finishing before the actual time is up.

Q-36 What is The Deshavagasik Vrat?

Ans. In this, we vow to further limit our movements in all six directions and use of things from the dawn of the day, for one day and one night.

Q-37 What are the Atichar (Minor Violations) of The Deshavagasik Vrat?

Ans. Atichar (Minor Violations) are:
1) Getting things from outside the limit
2) Sending a person outside the limit and getting it
3) Asking for the things which are outside the limit area by calling coughing, etc.
4) Asking for the things beyond the limit by making their forms or figures
5) Asking for the article beyond the limit by throwing a pebble or other signs.

Q-38 What is in The Paripoorna Paushadh Vrat?

Ans. In this vow one is renouncing eating, drinking water, and thoughts related to household activities and being immersed in spiritual reflections for 24 hours or a longer period. Paushadh enhances the speed of spiritual efforts and provide strength to shravaks.

Q-39 What are the Atichar (Minor Violations) of The Paripoorna Paushadh Vrat?

Ans. Atichar (Minor Violations) are:
1) Making the bed carelessly, without looking for any living body or not looking properly
2) Not sweeping the place for making bad or sweeping it carelessly
3) Not seeing the place to dispose the waste properly or seeing it carelessly
4) Not sweeping the place to dispose waste properly or sweeping it carelessly
5) Not following this paushadh vow in a proper manner.

Q-40 What is The Atithi Samvibhag Vrat?

Ans. This vow is to give, with a feeling of selflessness, love and respect, the food, water and other such things necessary for existence to sadhus, sadhvies, shravaks, shravikas, or any needy people or animals.

Q-41 What are the Atichar (Minor Violations) of The Atithi Samvibhag Vrat?

Ans. Atichar (Minor Violations) are:
1) Giving or offering any unsuitable food to sadhus or sadhvis
2) Giving or offering meat, poultry or sea food or any flash to anyone
3) Giving something which is spoiled, fermented, stale, etc.
4) Being lazy to give personally
5) Bragging about the offering given.

Q-42 What is the meant by Gunasthanaks?

Ans. The Gunasthanaks mean the steps or stages of the spiritual development of the soul.

Q-43 What does the Mithyadrishti Gunasthanak mean?

Ans. Mithyatva-drishthi Gunasthanak is the stage of false-vision or delusion. In this stage one accepts right as wrong and wrong as right. One does not have faith in fundamentals (nine tattvas) taught by Jina.

Q-44 What does the Saswadan Samyakdrishti Gunasthanak mean?

Ans. Saswadan Samyakdrishti Gunasthanak is the stage of having tasted righteousness. Saswadan Samyakdrishti Gunasthanak is the name given to the stage of the soul that has once tasted righteousness - the right path, but is returning from there for want of faith in fundamentals (nine tattavas).

Q-45 What does the Mishra Gunasthanak mean?

Ans. Mishra Gunasthanak - The mixed stage. In this Gunasthanak, a person has the desire sometimes for samyaktva and sometimes not. Its intellect always keeps swinging and oscillating between the two points like a pendulum.

Q-46 What does the Avirati Samyakdrishti Gunasthanak mean?

Ans. Avirati Samyakdrishti Gunasthanak - Uninterested in taking vows. One has faith in the fundamentals (nine tattvas) as taught by Jina. One develops the right vision about liberation of the soul but in this stage, man can not perform any austerities and can not renounce worldly things. He reflects on the soul but can not attempt to purify it.

Q-47 What does the Deshvirati Gunasthanak mean?

Ans. Deshvirati Gunasthanak - Partial practice of Sadhana. Desh means some aspect. Virat means renunciation. In this gunasthanak he observes a partial renunciation, according to his ability. He accepts upto the twelve vratas and some austerities.

Q-48 What does the Pramatta (Samyati) Gunasthanak mean?

Ans. Pramatta Samyati Gunasthanak - Pramatta means pramad or Careless. Samyati means Sadhu.The state of a sadhu/sadhvi in which they are not always carefull of his or her conduct and in one’s spiritual efforts 

Q-49 What does the Apramatta (Samyati) Gunasthanak mean?

Ans. Apramatta Samyati Gunasthanak - Apramatta means Careful. In this stage sadhus and sadhvis confirm to the principles of self-discipline, and do not entertain any sinful thoughts nor commit any kind of sinful actions. They keep away from pride, sensual enjoyments, passions, and gossip in all the forms, mentally verbally, and physically.

Q-50 What does the Nivriti Gunasthanak mean?

Ans. Nivritti-badar Gunasthanak: The stage of free from gross passions. This stage is also called, Apoorva Karan. In this stage sadhu/sadhvi is completely free from the gross passions. His soul attains purity and perfection to a vast extent. He controls his attachments, hatred and infatuation to the maximum extent.

Q-51 What does the Anivriti-Badar Gunasthanak mean?

Ans. Anivritti-badar Gunasthanak: The stage of lean Passions. In this stage, the passions become completely lean, small and powerless.

Q-52 What does the Suksham Samparay Gunasthanak mean?

Ans. Sukshma Samparay Gunasthanak is the stage where a subtle avarice is remaining. When the soul steps into this stage, except subtle part of avarice (Lobh) all the other passions disappear.

Q-53 What does the Upashant Moha Gunasthanak mean?

Ans. Upashant Moh Gunasthanak: Suppressed passions. It is delusive stage of being Vitrag because the passions (Kashaya) are not destroyed but they are suppresses. Passions surface within one antah muhurt and make the soul dive downward is spiritual stages.

Q-54 What does the Kshin Moha Gunasthanak mean?

Ans. Kshina Moha Gunasthanak: Passionless stage. While reaching to this stage the soul has gotten rid of all the passions. The soul is called Vitragi.

Q-55 What does the Sayogi Kevali Gunasthanak mean?

Ans. Sayogi Kevali Gunasthanak: The stage of Kevaljnan, Kevaldarshan, and infinite power. In this stage, the soul becomes completely free from all ghati karmas. It is called Sayogi because activities of mind voice and body are still present.

Q-56 What does the Ayogi Kevali Gunasthanak?

Ans. Ayogi Kevali Gunasthanak: Totally free from any activity. The Ayogi state is the final step of the soul’s progress. The soul stops all the activities of mind, voice and body and within a fraction of seconds it destroys all the remaining aghati karmas and is liberated forever.

Q-57 How many Gunasthanaks are there?

Ans. Fourteen

Q-58 Can you name the 1st Gunasthanak?

Ans. Mithya-drishti Gunasthanak

Q-59 Can you name the 2nd Gunasthanak?

Ans. Saswadan Samyakdrishti Gunasthanak

Q-60 Can you name the 3rd Gunasthanak?

Ans. Mishra Gunasthanak

Q-61 Can you name the 4th Gunasthanak?

Ans. Avirati Samyak-drishti Gunasthanak

Q-62 Can you name the 5th Gunasthanak?

Ans. Deshvirati Gunasthanak

Q-63 Can you name the 6th Gunasthanak?

Ans. Pramatta-samyati Gunasthanak or Sarva-virti Gunasthanak

Q-64 Can you name the 7th Gunasthanak?

Ans. Apramatta-samyati Gunasthanak

Q-65 Can you name the 8th Gunasthanak?

Ans. Nivritti-badar Gunasthanak

Q-66 Can you name the 9th Gunasthanak?

Ans. Anivritti-badar Gunasthanak

Q-67 Can you name the 10th Gunasthanak?

Ans. Sukshma-samparay Gunasthanak

Q-68 Can you name the 11th Gunasthanak?

Ans. Upashant-moha Gunasthanak

Q-69 Can you name the 12th Gunasthanak?

Ans. Kshina-moha Gunasthanak

Q-70 Can you name the 13th Gunasthanak?

Ans. Sayogi Kevali Gunasthanak

Q-71 Can you name the 14th Gunasthanak?

Ans. Ayogi Kevali Gunasthanak

Q-72 Does a person go to 12th Gunasthanak from 11th?

Ans. No, it falls to 10th and can go further down upto the 1st Gunasthanak.

Q-73 Does a person fall from the 12th Gunasthanak?

Ans. No, it never falls from there.

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Information Courtesy : Mr. Pravin K. Shah
Chairperson JAINA Education Committee
 Federation of Jain Associations in North America 
509 Carriage Woods Circle Raleigh, NC 27607-3969 USA 
Email - Pkshah1@attglobal.net  
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