Dharma Shiksha - Class 6

Jai Jinendra kids! We hope y’all had lots of fun during your summer break 😊 Now that the schools have resumed, so have our Dharma Shiksha classes. We were thrilled to have you back all refreshed, happier and most certainly wiser.

So we started our class with revision of the 8 karmas (with actions), living/non-living concept and Navkar Mantra actions.

We were ecstatic to note that almost all the kids remembered whatever they were taught in the previous classes. So kudos to them and of course the mommies too who, we’re sure, must have inspired the kids to revise.

Chaturmas – Meaning and Significance

As we all know, Chaturmas is about to begin. For all those who have heard the word but aren’t sure about its meaning – here goes…

Chaturmas means “Four Months” in Sanskrit. It is a special time that comes every year during the rainy season.

In Jainism, Chaturmas is a very holy time. During these 4 months, our sadhus and sadhvis stop travelling from one place to another. Instead, they stay in one place. 

Why do sadhus and sadhvis stop walking?

• During the rainy season, there are lots of tiny insects and plants on the ground.

• Jain sadhus and sadhvis walk barefoot, so to avoid stepping on these living beings, they stop traveling.

• This helps them follow the basic Jain principle of Ahimsa, which means not hurting any living being.

Also, did you know there are infinite (asankhyat) jeev in one drop of water? Or that there are countless (anant) jeev in the moss that grows on surfaces during the rainy season?

So by choosing to stay at one place, our sadhus and sadhvis protect these super tiny microorganisms too. That’s Ahimsa in its purest form!

What’s the difference between “Asankhyat” and “Anant”?

“Asankhyat” = Infinite

But “Anant” = Infinite x Infinite

Now since you know sadhus and sadhvis stay at one place during chaturmas, ask your mom or elders about the nearest sthanak where sadhu/sadhvi jis are staying, and go for their darshans regularly.

Our gurus are like an endless river of knowledge - the more you go to them and listen to what they have to say, the more gyanavarniya karma you shed!

So to sum up:

🌧️ Rainy season = Lots of life on the ground

🛑 Sadhus/Sadhvis stop walking = Save tiny lives

🧘‍♂️ Sit in one place = Pray, learn and teach others to be kind

Activity Time!

Until now, we discussed what our gurus do during Chaturmas. But what about us? What can WE do during Chaturmas?

Well, we can take niyam/pacchakhans!

For instance, you can decide NOT to eat ice cream for a week. Or maybe, choose to keep maun vrat for an hour.

Niyam/pachhakhans don’t have to be overly complex. Something as simple as watching TV only for an hour a day is enough – but you need to stick to it!

In our class, we asked to students to make a 3 x 3 grid (meaning nine boxes) and then made them write 9 simple niyams they’d like to follow.

Everyday, the kids have to close their eyes and place their finger randomly on the grid. The number underneath their finger will be the niyam they would have to follow for the day.

The following picture should make this activity clearer.

5 Main Principles of Jainism:

Jainism is based on 5 main principles that help us lead a peaceful, kind and thoughtful life. They are:

1.   Ahimsa (Non-violence)

This means not hurting anyone – not just people, but also animals, birds, insects, even tiny living beings. Always remember that every life is precious, so be very careful in what you do, say, and even eat.

2.   Satya (Truthfulness)

This means always speaking the truth. Telling lies can hurt others and create bad feelings. So, we should always try to be honest and kind with our words.

3.   Achaurya or Asteya (Non-stealing)

This means never taking anything that does not belong to you. Even if no one is watching, we should not take something without asking, because it’s not right.

4.   Brahmacharya (Self-control)

This means controlling your desires and being disciplined. For sadhus and sadhvis, this means staying unmarried and living a simple life. For us, it means being respectful in relationships.

5.   Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)

This means not being greedy and not collecting too many things. We should always take only what we need and not get attached to money, things, or even people

After explaining these principles in detail to the kids, we made them play a fun game to further strengthen their understanding of the concepts.

We already shared the pictures in our WhatsApp group.

Gift Distribution!

Lastly, we ended the class by distributing gifts to students who sent in Navkar Mantra stories that were uploaded on our Instagram page and also the kids who sent in PDFs of their Holidays Homework.

Well done kids! Your enthusiasm and eagerness to learn is what makes each class a success.

Keep walking on the path of Dharma!

“Harsh Harsh, Jai Jai!”