Chaityavandan vidhi details

Chaityavandan vidhi (Chaityavandan) is a daily temple-worship ritual practiced mainly by Shvetambar Murtipujak Jains. It is a structured sequence of prayers, prostrations, and reflections to honor Tirthankaras, Siddhas, and other revered beings, while guiding the devotee toward humility, mindfulness, and self-purification. There are small differences in practice between Digambar and Shvetambar traditions, and even among temples within a tradition.

What it typically includes

• Preparation

- Cleanliness, modest dress, and entering the shrine with awareness. - Sit facing the image or symbol of the Tirthankar.

• Inner frame

- A short period of calm, self-restraint, and mindfulness (often began with a request for permission and a vow of proper conduct).

• Circumambulation and bowing

- Pradakshina (circumambulate) the idol or image and perform prostrations (vandana) as appropriate in your temple.

• Core recitations (sequence can vary by gaccha/temple)

- Navkar Mantra (Namokar) - Hymns or stotras praising Tirthankaras and Siddhas (e.g., Logassa or similar salutations) - Forgiveness and repentance passages (e.g., prayers asking for forgiveness of all beings) - Short meditative reflections on the virtues of Arihants, Siddhas, Acharyas, Upadhyayas, and sadhus

• Closing

- Peaceful prayers for the welfare of all beings and a final reflection on dharma

• Physical actions

- Pradakshina, vandana (bowing/prostration), and sometimes Kayotsarga (meditative stillness) as part of the sequence

• Frequency

- Ideally performed once or twice daily, often around temple visits (morning and/or evening) or on special occasions.

Key distinctions to note

• Shvetambar Murtipujak tradition: Chaityavandan is a formal, fixed liturgy in many temples, with a standard sequence of prayers and sutras.
• Digambar tradition: Some temples do not have a fixed Chaityavandan liturgy in front of images and emphasize other forms of worship (e.g., deva-pujā, stotra-path, or sādhana). Because of this, Chaityavandan as a standardized vidhi is less central in many Digambar practices.
• Within both traditions, the exact sutras, order, and even the names of prayers can vary by temple, region, and samaj.

If you’d like, I can share a standard Shvetambar Murtipujak outline with the exact sutras (and brief meanings) used in many temples, or tailor it to a specific gaccha/temple you have in mind.

You can read more here at Jain Knowledge:

• Chaityavandan overview and practical outline
• Chaitya vandan sutras (details on parts and purpose)