Kshampana
Dear Soul,
Jai Jinendra!
To all of my friends, colleagues, family, neighbours, inspirations, artists, clients or acquaintances. To my senior or junior, hater or admirer. To all the animals or supernatural beings. I write this letter asking for forgiveness with pure intent and soul!
After understanding the few vital Jain concepts of Anekāntavāda (अनेकान्तवाद, “many-sidedness”), Law of Karma, Maitri Bhaav (all souls are equal and all are my friends) , Ahinsa (अहिंसा परमो धर्म: Nonviolence and Compassion towards others is the prime religion ), I have tried to understand other’s perspective without being judgmental, act good without thinking bad for others, treat and consider all souls as friends and have compassion towards smallest soul but if I have hurt you, this Paryushan Festival and Samvatsarik Pratikraman : (Michhami Dukkadam)
Kshamapana (Forgiveness)
I seek your forgiveness for consciously or subconsciously hurting your soul, damaged or tainted thoughts towards you, because of my act or deed through Mann (mind), Vachan (Speech) and Kaaya (body). If I might have done something wrong to you or unintentionally made you unhappy, it must have been because of Karma.
Therefore, I seek your forgiveness as it was not me but our karma that made it happen. A soul travels through several bodies before it becomes Siddha. I mighthave hurt your soul in the past or in current times too. For that, I seek your forgiveness. However, I do not intend to hurt any soul in future knowingly.
Why Kshamapana
To seek forgiveness I am not only shredding off of my karma but with pure heart, mind and thoughts I wish to uplift my Jiva (soul). I wish to have ‘Samkit Gyan’ (Right knowledge), which will only happen if you grant me forgiveness. My soul will be free from that karma and will help me purify my thoughts and reach higher!
The Power of Soul is explained, as even if crores of Sun rise on earth they can’t enlighten the soul. However, if one soul is enlightened, it can gain the ultimate knowledge and understanding of what Sun and Moon are. Panch Parmeshti (Arihant, Siddh, Acharya, Upadhyay, Sadhu) are worshipped because of their Atma Shakti.
Maitri Bhaav (The feeling of friendship, brotherhood and love)
When you think virtuous about others, from those moral thoughts you are doing better for yourself automatically. Good thoughts lead to good result. To hurt any soul mentally, physically, or emotionally, be it of an ant or a human being is hurting your own soul.
Daya (compassion) is the root of all religions. Where there is no compassion within living beings, true religion does not exist. In Jainism, a person who protects others, cares for Jiva and doesn’t hurt a single living being in this universe is considered even greater than the king. To hurt someone’s soul is equivalent to physical violence or Hinsa. As I treat all living beings as Equal. I consider your soul and religion to be the same as mine.
I treat your soul as a friend and the emotions are that of a friend without any feeling of hatred or revenge. We are seeking forgiveness or forgiving each other’s atma (soul) and not the outer body.
Until the time you have not been able to establish the relationship and emotion of friendship with all living beings in this universe no japa, no darshan will be helpful as somewhere down the line those negative thoughts, anger, jealousy, hatred etc will haunt you every now and then and not get you align or be one part of your soul. With the attitude of Maitri Bhavna, the soul will seek inner happiness and focus on its upliftment.
Only through self-belief and confidence we can gain the happiness and love of our own self. When we love our own self, we see, consider and believe others to be our friends and treat them with love and happiness.
With seeking and granting Kshamapana, several souls have found freedom from the vicious life cycle, have found freedom and will keep finding the same. The key to all good and happiness, positivity lies in forgiveness – seeking and granting it.
Real Happiness is from within and I am sure you will feel the same inner happiness after forgiving the soul surrounding you as I did while writing this letter by seeking forgiveness from you.
The world cannot be succeeded by hurting someone’s soul but by uplifting one’s soul through pure thoughts, deeds and act. Success lies in one’s pure and pious thoughts. Hence, I request you to bless me that my thoughts leads to betterment of religion, nation and art and culture.
On this great Paryushan Festival 2019, I wish all the happiness, good wishes and positivity to you and your family.
Chaitya Dhanvi Shah
2nd September 2019
Palitana
Researched from Ath Saamvatsaarik KshamapanaGranth created by Yoganistha Jain Acharya Shrimad BuddhiSagarSuri
Note: Kshamapana is seeked after the samvatsari pratikraman.
After understanding the few vital Jain concepts of Anekāntavāda (अनेकान्तवाद, “many-sidedness”), Law of Karma, Maitri Bhaav (all souls are equal and all are my friends) , Ahinsa (अहिंसा परमो धर्म: Nonviolence and Compassion towards others is the prime religion ), I have tried to understand other’s perspective without being judgmental, act good without thinking bad for others, treat and consider all souls as friends and have compassion towards smallest soul but if I have hurt you, this Paryushan Festival and Samvatsarik Pratikraman : (Michhami Dukkadam)
Kshamapana (Forgiveness)
I seek your forgiveness for consciously or subconsciously hurting your soul, damaged or tainted thoughts towards you, because of my act or deed through Mann (mind), Vachan (Speech) and Kaaya (body). If I might have done something wrong to you or unintentionally made you unhappy, it must have been because of Karma.
Therefore, I seek your forgiveness as it was not me but our karma that made it happen. A soul travels through several bodies before it becomes Siddha. I mighthave hurt your soul in the past or in current times too. For that, I seek your forgiveness. However, I do not intend to hurt any soul in future knowingly.
Why Kshamapana
To seek forgiveness I am not only shredding off of my karma but with pure heart, mind and thoughts I wish to uplift my Jiva (soul). I wish to have ‘Samkit Gyan’ (Right knowledge), which will only happen if you grant me forgiveness. My soul will be free from that karma and will help me purify my thoughts and reach higher!
The Power of Soul is explained, as even if crores of Sun rise on earth they can’t enlighten the soul. However, if one soul is enlightened, it can gain the ultimate knowledge and understanding of what Sun and Moon are. Panch Parmeshti (Arihant, Siddh, Acharya, Upadhyay, Sadhu) are worshipped because of their Atma Shakti.
Maitri Bhaav (The feeling of friendship, brotherhood and love)
When you think virtuous about others, from those moral thoughts you are doing better for yourself automatically. Good thoughts lead to good result. To hurt any soul mentally, physically, or emotionally, be it of an ant or a human being is hurting your own soul.
Daya (compassion) is the root of all religions. Where there is no compassion within living beings, true religion does not exist. In Jainism, a person who protects others, cares for Jiva and doesn’t hurt a single living being in this universe is considered even greater than the king. To hurt someone’s soul is equivalent to physical violence or Hinsa. As I treat all living beings as Equal. I consider your soul and religion to be the same as mine.
I treat your soul as a friend and the emotions are that of a friend without any feeling of hatred or revenge. We are seeking forgiveness or forgiving each other’s atma (soul) and not the outer body.
Until the time you have not been able to establish the relationship and emotion of friendship with all living beings in this universe no japa, no darshan will be helpful as somewhere down the line those negative thoughts, anger, jealousy, hatred etc will haunt you every now and then and not get you align or be one part of your soul. With the attitude of Maitri Bhavna, the soul will seek inner happiness and focus on its upliftment.
Only through self-belief and confidence we can gain the happiness and love of our own self. When we love our own self, we see, consider and believe others to be our friends and treat them with love and happiness.
With seeking and granting Kshamapana, several souls have found freedom from the vicious life cycle, have found freedom and will keep finding the same. The key to all good and happiness, positivity lies in forgiveness – seeking and granting it.
Real Happiness is from within and I am sure you will feel the same inner happiness after forgiving the soul surrounding you as I did while writing this letter by seeking forgiveness from you.
The world cannot be succeeded by hurting someone’s soul but by uplifting one’s soul through pure thoughts, deeds and act. Success lies in one’s pure and pious thoughts. Hence, I request you to bless me that my thoughts leads to betterment of religion, nation and art and culture.
On this great Paryushan Festival 2019, I wish all the happiness, good wishes and positivity to you and your family.
Chaitya Dhanvi Shah
2nd September 2019
Palitana
Note: Kshamapana is seeked after the Samvatsari Pratikraman.
Researched from Ath Saamvatsaarik KshamapanaGranth created by Yoganistha Jain Acharya Shrimad BuddhiSagarSuri
Photos and Text © Chaitya Dhanvi Shah