Paryushana

The tradition & historical record

Paryushana is an annual holy event in Jainism and is usually celebrated in August, September, or October in the Hindu calendar month of Bhadrapad's Shukla Paksha. Jains increase their level of spiritual intensity, often using fasting and prayer/meditation to help. The five main vows are emphasized during this time. There are no set rules, and followers are encouraged to practice according to their abilities and desires. However, the conduct of ascetics and lay-followers during the festival is largely governed by the Paryushana-Kalpa within Bhadrabāhu's Kalpa Sūtra. The event lasts for eight days and ends with the celebration of Samvatsari (forgiveness day). ¹

The word "Paryushana" means "abiding and coming together". It is a time when the Jains take on vows of study and fasting. ¹

Paryushana began with an ancient Indian tradition called varṣāvāsa or cāturmāsa, which means a four-month rainy season retreat. During the heavy monsoon rains, wandering monks and nuns stopped traveling and stayed in one fixed place. This practice directly helped them follow the cardinal vow of nonviolence (ahimsa). By staying still, they avoided accidentally stepping on or harming the many tiny insects and living organisms that grow rapidly during the rainy season. Mahavira, the 24th tirthankara, turned this seasonal practice into an official rule for monastic life. These early institutional rules outlined the shared duties of both the monks and the regular householders. Over time, this rainy season retreat became an important annual opportunity for the entire community to come together and focus on spiritual growth. During the festival, followers focus heavily on a sacred text called the Kalpa Sūtra, specifically a section named the Paryuṣaṇa-kalpa. Jain tradition states that this text was originally composed by the ancient sage Bhadrabāhu. For a long time, these sacred teachings were passed down exclusively by speech rather than written records. In the 5th century CE, a severe famine threatened the survival of the monks who memorized these teachings, causing a council at Valabhi to finally write the texts down. Centuries later, kings in Western India funded the copying and rich decorating of these sacred books. Reading the Kalpa Sūtra out loud evolved into a major community event during the festival days. Beautifully illustrated pages were shown to the public so they could view them and gain spiritual merit. As Jainism developed its two main groups—the Śvetāmbara and the Digambara—the festival split into two distinct paths. ¹

Jains observe Paryushana for eight days. Almost all Jains see participation in Paryushana as a duty. ¹

During the first three days, sermons are based on the Paryushana Stahnika Vyakhyana, explaining the duties of Paryushana and annual duties. Explanations draw on stories of exemplary figures in Jain history. The five duties of Paryushana are not killing, affection for fellow Jains, statement of annulling faults in the past year, a three-day fast, and pilgrimage. Starting on the fourth day, ascetics of the Śvetāmbara Murtipujaka tradition recite the Kalpa Sūtra, which includes a recitation of the section on the birth of Mahavira on the fifth day. Some Śvetāmbaras recite the Antagada Sutra, which details the life of 90 great men and women who attained moksha during the eras of the 22nd Tirthankar Neminatha and 24th Tirthankar Mahavira. ¹

During Paryushana, Jains usually observe a fast. The span of the fast can last from a day to 30 days or more. In Śvetāmbara tradition, śrāvakas (laypeople) fast by having only boiled water that may be consumed between sunrise and sunset only. ¹

The text above is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Paryushana”, available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 licence. ¹

Paryushana is most important festivals for the Jains, according to the structured record cited below. This entry was generated automatically from that record and has not yet been reviewed by a person familiar with the tradition. ²

The source record links this tradition to 2 external registers, which can be verified through the citation. ²