Digambar puja plate (ashta‑dravya) basics

• What is it: In Digambara practice, a small plate (puja thali) may hold eight kinds of offerings called ashta dravya for worship of a Tirthankara or a deity. These are the symbolic materials offered with pure bhava (feeling), not just their physical use.

• The eight offerings (ashta dravya) typically include:

- Water (jal) - Sandal paste (chandan) - Akshata (sacred rice) - Flowers (pushpa) or sometimes a safe substitute - Light (deep) - Incense or fragrance (dhup/kaphur) - Naivedya (a small sweet or fruit offered as food) - Fruit (phal) These are the standard external items used in many Jain pujas, though exact contents can vary by temple or local maryada. ( jainknowledge.com)

• How Digambar practice can differ from Śvetāmbara:

- Many Digambar temples and communities minimize outward embellishments. Some prefer bhava-puja (offering the inner feeling and virtues) over heavy external dravya. - When dravya are used, Digambar practice may avoid or limit fresh flowers and other material, choosing safer substitutes and emphasizing non-violence (ahimsa) in what is offered. Local maryada (rules) can vary. ( jainknowledge.com)

• A few notes that keep the essence pure:

- The focus is on devotion and inner purity, not on the material itself. - If a temple follows strict maryada, flowers might be avoided or replaced with akshata or sandal, and the bhava (attitude) is considered the most important offering. - The eight dravya, when used, are part of a simple, non-harmful ritual and may look different from place to place. ( jainknowledge.com)

• Quick tip for practice:

- If you’re doing puja at home or in a temple, follow your local temple maryada. If flowers are used, try to use naturally fallen or detached flowers and keep the quantity small, with a focus on inner devotion. The key is ahimsa and sincerity of intention. ( jainknowledge.com)

You can read more about how pooja is done and the role of ashta‑dravya in Digambara practice here