Mantras used in samayik
Here is a concise overview of the main mantras used in samayik (the daily Jain meditation):
- Navkar Mantra (Namokāya Mantra): The central prayer in samayik. It pays reverence to the Arihants, Siddhas, Arahants, and to the Tirthankaras and all enlightened beings. It is commonly recited at the beginning and again at the end of a samayik session. There are Digambar and Śvetāmbara variants in wording, but both serve to honor the same spiritual ideals.
- Micchāmi Dukkadam (Khamemi Sukhamdiṁ): A short confession of faults and a request for forgiveness, typically recited at the end of samayik (and especially at the end of Paryushana). It expresses repentance for any faults committed knowingly or unknowingly during the session or day.
- Additional reflective prayers or stotras: Depending on the tradition (Digambar or Śvetāmbara) and how one has customized their practice, a practitioner may include brief invocations or a short vignette of Bodhi-sattva qualities, followed by silent meditation. These are supplementary and are not universally fixed like Navkar or Micchāmi Dukkadam.
Notes:
- The exact wording of Navkar Mantra and the arrangement of prayers can differ slightly between Digambar and Śvetāmbara communities. The essential purpose remains the same: to honor right faith, right knowledge, and right conduct, and to cultivate detachment and compassion.
- If you’d like, I can provide the precise Sanskrit texts for the Digambar and Śvetāmbara versions of Navkar Mantra, or the exact script for Micchāmi Dukkadam as used in samayik.