Micchami Dukkadam

The phrase miccha me dukkadam, is an ancient Prakrit language phrase that is commonly found in Jain texts. The Sanskrit version is mithyā me duṣkṛtam. It is related to a section of Jaina monastic code of conduct called the avasyakas (Prakrit: osayas, obligatory observations or duties). In the phrase, mithyā refers to 'being fruitless', me means 'my', duṣkṛtam refers to 'bad deeds'. The Jain scholar Hemachandra gave it a symbolic etymological basis in his Yogasastra verse 3.124, as the following: • mi is "miu maddava", connoting "gentleness" • cha is "dosanam chayana", connoting "the veiling of faults" • mi, me is "a-merae thiya", connoting "abiding in the limitless" • du is "duganchami appanam", connoting "I loath myself" • ka is "kadam me pavam", connoting "I have committed sin" • dam is "devemi tam uvasamenam", connoting "I go beyond it through attaining to calm" The phrase "tassa micchami dukkadam" has been interpreted in a number of ways, or implied to mean more, from literal to symbolic. Examples include: • "May that fault have been done in vain [have no effect]" • "May all my improper actions be inconsequential" • "My fault has been due to error" • "May all my transgressions be forgiven" • "I ask pardon of all living beings, may all of them pardon me, may I have friendship with all beings and enmity with none." == Literature ==

The phrase michchāmi dukkaḍaṃ is found in the Airyapathiki Sutra, verses 3.124 and 3.130 of the Yoga sastra. These include those related to willful and unintentional misdeeds, such as those related to injury or killing of other life forms, harming vegetation or forests, consuming forbidden foods or liquids (meat, liquor to Brahmins and monks), theft, and many others. These, translates Patrick Olivelle – a scholar of ancient Sanskrit literature, encourage the person to "declare his misdeed publicly, be contrite", "acknowledge the infraction" before others, sincerely "abhor the evil deed", understand the consequences any misdeeds have "on his afterlife", resolve "I will never do that again", and then "pursue wholesome activity with his thoughts, speech and body", according to Manusmriti. ==Practice==

Micchāmi dukkaḍaṃ is popularly used on the last day of the annual Jain observations called the Paryushana by Svetambara Jains and Dasa-Laksana-Parvan by Digambara Jains. In the contemporary era, on Paryushana Samvatsari, Jains reach out to their friends and relatives in person, telephone or mail with "micchami dukkadam". Paryushana frequently falls in August or September. This annual observation during rainy season for the Jain laypeople is not found in early Jain texts, and appears in post-14th century texts such as the Sraddha viddhi. The early texts of the Svetambara and Digambara traditions include it as a routine, around the year practice for monks and nuns as a part of their avasyakas ritual. It is particularly included when they are venerating images or murti of Tirthankaras in Jain temples. All pratikramana mantras in Jain monastic practice end with micchami dukkadam, wherein the mendicant sets up a category of infractions and errors and then adds "may the evil of it be in vain". ==See also==