Das Lakshan

Das Lakshan Parva is the festival celebrated by the Digambara Jains. In the Digambar tradition, the ten cardinal virtues, Dashlakshan Dharma, are celebrated for 10 days, starting on Bhadrapad sud 5-14th to remind Jains of the characteristics of the soul. The ten dharmas or the virtues of the soul are:

forgiveness,
humility,
straightforwardness,
contentment,
truth,
sensual restraint,
austerities,
charity,
non-possessiveness,
and celibacy.

They are various forms of right conduct. It s important to understand two common viewpoints found in our scriptures.

The Vyavahar view, in crude terms, helps you to live more easily and peacefully with the outside world. It also builds up your reserve of good deeds (Punya karmas).

The Nischay view helps to enhance and blossom the soul’s natural qualities. In Jainism, the Vyavahar view is always considered the ‘by the by’. The Nischay view is considered to be the most important as it leads to contemplation and understanding of the true nature of the soul with the aim of its purification, the ultimate goal of practicing Das Lakshan. Merely practicing the Vyavahar Dharmas may bind Punya karmas, leading to material gain in this life and the next.

The Dharmas are all prefixed by the word ‘Uttam’ (Supreme) to signify that they are practiced at the highest level by the Jain monks. The householder practices them to a lesser extent. It lasts over a period of ten days, each day is dedicated to one of the ten Dharmas.