Answer

In Jain Dharma, tapas means spiritual austerity or penance. The commonly accepted list is 12 Tapas:

6 External Tapas

1. Anashan – Fasting
2. Avamodarya – Eating less than one’s full need
3. Vritti-sankshaya – Limiting types or quantity of food
4. Rasa-parityaga – Giving up tasty foods
5. Kaya-klesha – Tolerating bodily hardship
6. Samlinata – Living with simplicity and seclusion

6 Internal Tapas

1. Prayashchitta – Repentance / confession
2. Vinaya – Humility and reverence
3. Vaiyavrittya – Serving the worthy and helping others
4. Swadhyaya – Study of scriptures
5. Dhyana – Meditation
6. Kayotsarga – Giving up body-awareness / meditation in stillness

Explanation

These 12 tapas are meant to reduce attachment, weaken karma, and purify the soul.

• External tapas discipline the body.
• Internal tapas purify the mind and inner attitude.

Together, they help a Jain seeker move toward self-control, non-attachment, and spiritual progress.

Spiritual Understanding

In Jain Dharma, tapas is not meant for suffering alone. Its true purpose is:

• to burn karma
• to strengthen detachment
• to increase आत्म-शुद्धि, or inner purity
• to support moksha-marga, the path to liberation

Among all forms of spiritual practice, tapas is considered very powerful when done with faith, right knowledge, and humility.

Takeaway

The 12 Tapas are a very important part of Jain practice. They guide a person toward self-restraint, purity, and liberation.

If you want, I can also give you:

• the 12 Tapas in Gujarati
• a simple one-line meaning of each tap
• a chart of external and internal tapas