Pratikramana (Sanskrit: प्रतिक्रमण; also spelled Pratikraman) (lit. "introspection"), is a ritual during which Jains repent (prayaschit) for their sins and non-meritorious activities committed knowingly or inadvertently during their daily life through thought, speech or action.
Pratikramana also refers to a combition of six avashyaks (essential rituals), being Samayik (state of total equanimity), Chauvisantho (honoring the 24 Tirthankars), Vandana – (offering salutations to sadhus (monks) and sadhvis (nuns)), Pratikramana (introspection and repentance), Kayotsarga (meditation of the soul) and Pratyakhyan (renunciation).
Although frequency of repenting varies, devout Jains often practice Pratikraman at least twice a day. It is one of the 28 primary attributes (mūla guņa) of both Śvētāmbara and Digambara monks.
“Prati” means “back” and “kraman” means “to go”. Combined together Pratikraman means to go back, review, confess, and repent the bad thoughts and deeds from our daily activities.
As a Jain householder we are supposed to observe 12 minor vows against five major vows observed by monks and nuns. During Pratikraman, we overview our activities for any lapse or transgressions which might have occurred among these vows. So, Pratikraman reminds us to live within set limitations.
Any lapse or transgression of these vows is called Atikraman. Therefore we undertake Pratikraman by remembering the code and the restraints one by one and take into consideration the faults and lapses pertaining to them with a view to ask forgiveness for it.
During this Pratikraman, even if we might not have taken these 12 vows, we still ask forgiveness for lapses pertaining to them and wish that one of these days we can take those vows. This way, we try to ask for forgiveness for our ill actions and purify ourselves and improve upon our future activities.
This enables us to shed off some of our previous Karmas and also to slow down or prevent the inflow of new Karmas
Shwetambar Jain Pratikraman
Tapagach Jain Pratikraman
Pakkhi Pratikraman (પખ્ખી પ્રતિક્રમણ)
Samvatsari Pratikraman (સંવત્સરી પ્રતિક્રમણ)
Chaumasi Pratikraman (ચૌમાસી પ્રતિક્રમણ)
Devasi Pratikraman (દેવસી પ્રતિક્રમણ)
Rai Pratikraman
Achalgach Jain Pratikraman
Pakkhi Pratikraman (પખ્ખી પ્રતિક્રમણ)
Samvatsari Pratikraman (સંવત્સરી પ્રતિક્રમણ)
Rai Pratikraman
Chaumasi Pratikraman (ચૌમાસી પ્રતિક્રમણ)
Devasi Pratikraman (દેવસી પ્રતિક્રમણ)
