Can jains worship sun ?
Short answer: No, Jains do not worship the Sun as a deity.
- The primary focus of Jain worship is on the Tirthankaras, Arihants, and Siddhas—enlightened beings who have conquered inner enemies.
- The Sun (Surya) is not considered a personal god to be worshipped. In Jain texts, Surya is often treated as a celestial witness or part of the cosmic order, not an object of devotion or offerings.
- Both Digambara and Śvetāmbara traditions share this view. Some regional or folk practices may include bowing to the sun or using sun imagery, but this is not a canonical form of worship in Jain dharma.
- In Jain practice, prayers, meditation, and rituals center on right faith (samyak darśana), right knowledge (samyak jñāna), and right conduct (samyak cāra), rather than sun worship.
If you’d like, I can provide more detail from Jain scriptures about how these cosmic elements are treated in Jain philosophy.