Pratima (Jainism)
In Jainism, Pratima is a step or a stage marking the spiritual rise of a lay person. There are eleven such steps called pratima. After passing the eleven steps, one is no longer a sravaka, but a muni.
Rules prescribed for laymen are divided into twelve vrata and eleven pratimas and are described in several codes of conduct.
The pratimas are mentioned in several ancient texts like Ratnakaranda Shravakachara.
Twelve vows
The twelve vows are:| Head | Vow | Meaning |
| Five vows | 1. ahiṃsā | Not to hurt any living being by actions and thoughts |
| Five vows | 2. satya | Not to lie or speak what is not commendable. |
| Five vows | 3. asteya | Not to take anything if not given. |
| Five vows | 4. brahmacharya | Chastity / Celibacy in action, words and thoughts |
| Five vows | 5. Aparigraha | Detachment from material property. |
| Guņa vratas | 6. digvrata | Restriction on movement with regard to directions. |
| Guņa vratas | 7. bhogopabhogaparimana | Vow of limiting consumable and non-consumable things |
| Guņa vratas | 8. anartha-dandaviramana | Refraining from harmful occupations and activities. |
| Śikşā vratas | 9. samayika | Vow to meditate and concentrate periodically. |
| Śikşā vratas | 10. desavrata | Limiting movement to certain places for a fixed period of time. |
| Śikşā vratas | 11. upvas | Fasting at regular intervals. |
| Śikşā vratas | 12. atihti samvibhag | Vow of offering food to the ascetic and needy people |
Eleven ''Pratima''
The eleven stages are:- Darshan Pratima : The worship of the true God guru and shastra, and the avoidance of gambling, meat-eating, drinking, adultery, hunting, thieving and debauchery.
- Vrat Pratima: The keeping of the twelve vows and the vow to observe sallekhana
- Samayak Pratima : Engaging in meditation or worship on a regular basis.
- Proshadhopvas Pratima : fasting four times in a month.
- Sachitta Tyaga Pratima: not eating vegetables having the capacity to grow again.
- Ratribhukti Tyaga Pratima : Giving up eating during the night or coitus during the day.
- Brahmacharya Pratima : abstaining from sex or related activity.
- Arambha Tyaga Pratima : refraining from any activity to earn a living.
- Parigraha Tyaga Pratima : detachment from most possessions.
- Anurnati Tyaga Pratima : refraining from giving orders or expressing consents in the family.
- Uddishta Tyaga Pratima: The complete renunciation of the householder’s life, retiring into a forest and adopting the rules laid down for the guidance of monks.
- Grahin
- Varnin : At this point the householder is termed a Varni.
- Bhikshuka : At this point a person depends on others for daily survival.