Answer

In Jain Dharma, the highest and biggest Tap is generally considered:

1. Anashan Tap — complete fasting.

A simple ranking of major external Tapas from highest intensity to lower intensity is:

1. Anashan – complete fasting
2. Unodari – eating less than one’s hunger
3. Vritti Parisankhyana – taking food with strict limits or conditions
4. Rasa Parityag – giving up tasty foods or certain flavors
5. Kaya Klesha – bearing bodily hardship with equanimity

Explanation

In Jainism, there are traditionally 12 types of Tap:

• 6 External Tap
• 6 Internal Tap

Among external tapas, Anashan, or fasting, is often regarded as the most severe because it directly controls attachment to food and the body.

However, Jain Dharma also teaches that the true greatness of Tap depends not only on physical difficulty, but on:

• purity of intention,
• absence of ego,
• control of passions,
• right faith,
• equanimity.

Spiritual Understanding

A smaller Tap done with humility, awareness, and inner purity can be spiritually greater than a very difficult Tap done with pride or desire for praise.

Takeaway

Anashan is usually considered the biggest external Tap, but the highest Tap spiritually is the one done with true equanimity and inner purification.