Answer

In Jain Dharma, people observe many types of fasting and austerities. Some common named fasts are:

• Upvas – complete fast for one day, usually taking only boiled water during permitted time.
• Ekasan – eating only once in a day, in one sitting.
• Beasan / Biyasana – eating two times in a day.
• Ayambil – eating once a day, simple tasteless food without spices, oil, ghee, milk, curd, sweets, fruits, or green vegetables.
• Chauvihar – no food or water after sunset until sunrise.
• Tivihar – no food after sunset, but boiled water may be taken during allowed time.
• Navkarsi – eating or drinking only after a fixed time after sunrise.
• Porsi – eating after a longer period after sunrise.
• Sadh-Porsi – eating after an even longer period after sunrise.
• Purimaddh – eating after about half the day has passed.
• Avaddh – eating later than Purimaddh, after a greater part of the day has passed.
• Chhath – two consecutive Upvas.
• Attham – three consecutive Upvas.
• Atthai – eight consecutive Upvas.
• Masakshaman – approximately one month of continuous fasting.
• Varshitap – a year-long austerity, traditionally alternating fasting and eating days.
• Oli / Navpad Oli – nine days of Ayambil, usually observed twice a year.
• Sallekhana / Santhara – a highly sacred end-of-life vow of gradual renunciation, undertaken with spiritual discipline and detachment.

Explanation

Jain fasting is not only about avoiding food. Its main purpose is to reduce attachment, control desires, practice self-discipline, and purify karma. Different people observe different fasts according to their capacity, health, guidance, and spiritual intention.

Takeaway

In Jain Dharma, fasting is a form of tapasya—spiritual austerity. The most important part is not the difficulty of the fast, but the purity of intention, self-control, and inner detachment.