Muhapatti

Acharya Mahapragya, wearing a muhapatti

The muhapatti (variously spelled mahapatti, muhpatti or mahpatti) is a square of white cloth worn across the face and tied behind the ears or held. The purpose is to prevent saliva from coming into contact with sacred books, images or other items. It is often purported to be worn to reduce the chance of inhaling (and thus killing) small insects and other airborne life. Some Jains believe the destruction of even these tiny life forms is a violation of ahimsa, the principle of non-violence. Whilst this may be one benefit of the use of muhapatti, it is not the initial reason for use.

Logical thinking denies any use of Muhapati. First of all you cannot kill insects by inhaling by your mouth, because you don't inhale my mouth. If you wanna avoid killing of insects wear it on your nose. Some also says by wearing it your warm exhale air might not kill mirobes around you. so it is a practice of ahimsa. Logical thinking says that it is just a way of differentiating Swetamabar sadhus from Digamabar sadhus. Because Swetamabar was not existed at the time of Mahavira. It was Sthulabhadra who allowed white clothing during famine in India. Also, Jain sadhus boil their drinking water and then drink it. The reason behind this as we all know so that they don't get any disease from microbes might present in it. It was Mahavira who practiced this first. It was his keen observation. He believed in observing the things around you, studying them carefully and then decide about it. He dint care of microbes in the water. So, killing of microbes by boiling water and protecting them by wearing Muhapatti are totally contrast to each other. You can wear Muhapatti on you nose and mouth so you would protect yourself from pollution loaded environment.

References

• Shah, Umakant Premanand (1987). Jaina-Rup̄a-Manḍạna, Volume 1. Abhinav Publications. p. 20. ISBN 817017208X,. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: invalid character (help)CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)