JAINISM
 |
| Jain Flag |
Jainism is a way of
life and one of the oldest religions of the world. It believes in a cyclical
nature of universe. It discourages superstition and blind faith and encourages
free and rational thinking.
Jainism is an ancient
religion from India that teaches that the way to liberation and bliss is to
live a life of harmlessness and renunciation.
The aim of Jain life is
to achieve liberation of the soul.
Jainism lays heavy
emphasis on non-violence (ahimsa) and discipline.
Jains trace their
history through a succession of twenty-four teachers and revivers of the Jain
path known as Tirthankaras. According to Jain philosophy, all 24 Tirthankaras
were born as human beings but they have attained a state of perfection or
enlightenment through meditation and self-realization. They are the “Gods” of
Jains. Jains have always practiced non-violence, vegetarianism, meditation,
yoga, and environmentalism. In the current era, this started with Rishabhdeva
and concluded with Mahavira.
Jains believe that
Jainism is eternal and while it may be forgotten, it will be revived from time
to time.
ORIGIN
 |
| Jain Om |
The word
"Jain" derives from the Sanskrit word Jina (conqueror). A human being
who has conquered all inner passions like attachment, desire, anger, pride,
greed, etc. is called Jina. Followers of
the path practiced and preached by the Jinas are known as Jains.
Parasparopagraho
Jivanam ("the function of souls is to help one another") is the motto
of Jainism.
FOUNDER
There are three
perspectives through which believes in Jainism founders:
1st
perspective -Jainism is said to be eternal. From
this point of view we cannot name any founder of Jainism in any of the zones.
Jainism is believed to be "Anandinidhan", meaning- since time
immemorial.
2nd
perspective- The first Tirthankara of any half
time-cycle can be said to be the founder of Jainism. In this respect Lord
Rishabh Dev can be said to be the founder of Jainism for the current half
time-cycle. There were similar founders in the other Kshetras. They can be said
to be the founders of Jainism for this particular half time-cycle in their
respective Kshetras.
3rd
perspective- Lord Mahavira the 24th Tirthankara can
be said to be the founder of Jainism for the current period. That is why Lord
Mahavira is considered to be the most accepted Jainism founder.
Lord
Mahavira
 |
| Lord Mahavira |
Mahavira (Mahāvīra), also known as Vardhamāna, was
the twenty-fourth and last Jain Tirthankara (ford maker). In the Jain
tradition, it is believed that Mahavira was born into a royal family in what is
now Bihar, India, in 599 BC. At the age of 30, he left his home in pursuit of
spiritual awakening, and abandoned worldly things, including his clothes, and
became a Digambara monk. For the next twelve-and-a-half years, Mahavira
practiced intense meditation and severe penance, after which he is believed to
have attained Kevala Jnana (omniscience).
After he gained Kevala Jnana, he travelled
throughout the Indian subcontinent to teach Jain philosophy. Mahavira taught
that the observance of the vows ahimsa (non-violence), satya (truth), asteya
(non-stealing), brahmacharya (chastity) and aparigraha (non-attachment) is
necessary to spiritual liberation. He gave the principle of Anekantavada
(pluralism), Syadvada and Nayavada. The teachings of Mahavira were compiled by
Gautama Swami (his chief disciple) and were called Jain Agamas. These texts
were transmitted by an oral tradition by Jain monks, but are believed to have
been largely lost by about the 1st-century when they were first written down.
The surviving versions of the Agamas taught by Mahavira are foundational texts
of Jainism. Jains believe Mahavira attained moksha (liberation from the cycle
of birth and death) at the age of 72.
FEATURES
Jainism religion has the following basic features:
·
Belief on independent existence of soul
and matter.
· Rejection of the idea that a supreme
divine creator, owner, preserver or destroyer of the universe exists.
·
Power of karma, eternal universe.
·
Accent on relativity and multiple sides
of truth.
·
Morality and ethics based on liberation
of soul.
SECTS
Jainism is divided into
two major sects
·
Digambara :
The
Digambara (meaning sky clad) sect, is the sect of Jainism where monks live
completely naked. Digambara monks are not allowed any possessions, not even
begging bowls and so can only receive gifts in their cupped hands. Digambara
images of tirthankaras have downcast eyes, are plain (and always carved as
naked figures).
The
Svetambara (meaning white clad) sect, is the sect where monks can have a few
possessions such as -- simple white clothing, a begging bowl, a brush to remove
insects from their path and books and writing materials. Svetambara images have
prominent staring eyes, and are richly decorated.
MAIN
PRINCIPLES
 |
| Jainism Symbol |
The main principles of Jainism
are as follows:
·
Ahimsa (non-violence),
·
Anekantavada (non-absolutism)
Aparigraha (non-possessiveness)
MAIN
VOWS
There are 5 main vows
followed strictly in Jainism:
·
Ahimsa (non-violence),
·
Satya (not lying),
·
Asteya (not stealing),
·
Brahmacharya (chastity)
·
Aparigraha (non-attachment)
JAIN
FESTIVALS
Jainism followers
follow different festivals which also include the festivals of Hinduism
followers such as Diwali, Navaratri, etc. However the major Jain festivals are
as follows:
o Paryushana or Daslakshana:
Paryushana
Parva is one of the most important festival for Jains. Paryusana is formed by
two words meaning ‘a year’ and ‘a coming back’. This festival comes in the
months of Shravana and Bhadra (August or September). Svetambara Jains celebrate
it for eight-days while Digambara Jains celebrate it for ten days. It is also
known as Das Lakshana Parva. It is a festival of repentance and forgiveness.
Many Jains fast and carry out different religious activities. This festival is
believed to remove accumulated karma of the previous year and develop control
over new accumulating new karma, by following Jain austerities and other
rituals. There are regular rituals at the Jain temples.
o Mahavir Jayanti:
This
festival marks birth of Mahavira. Mahavira Janma Kalyanak (Vardhamana) was born
on the thirteenth day of the bright half of the Jain calendar month of Chaitra,
probably 599 BCE. It falls in March or April. Procession is carried out and
lectures on message of Mahavira is presented. The idols of Mahavira is
ceremonially bathed and rocked in a cradle. Events related to birth are also
recited from sacred texts by monks.
PRACTICES
Jainism followers
follow the practices mentioned as follows:
Ø Vegetarianism:
Vegetarianism is a hallmark of Jainism, in accordance with the principle of
non-violence towards all beings. Strict followers will also limit dairy
products, avoid root vegetables, and avoid eating after sunset.
Ø Fasting:
Jains fast throughout the year, particularly during festivals. This takes on
various forms and may be practiced based on one's ability. Some examples are:
eating only one or two meals per day, drinking only water all day, not eating
after sunset, not eating processed foods, and eating food without sugar, oil,
or salt.
Ø Prayers:
In Jainism, the purpose of prayer is to break the barriers of worldly
attachments and desires and to assist in the liberation of the soul. Jains do
not pray for any favors, material goods, or rewards.
Ø Meditation:
Jains have developed a type of meditation called Sāmāyika, a term derived from
the word Samaya. The goal of Sāmāyika is to achieve a feeling of perfect
calmness and to understand the unchanging truth of the self.
Ø Festivals: Paryushana or Daslakshana
is the most important annual event for Jains, and is usually celebrated in
August or September. It lasts eight to ten days and is a time when lay people
increase their level of spiritual intensity often using fasting and
prayer/meditation to help. The five main vows are emphasized during this time. Mahavir
Jayanti, the birth of Mahāvīra, the last tirthankara of this era, is usually
celebrated in late March or early April based on the lunar calendar. Some other
festivals celebrated by Jains are Diwali, Akshaya Tritiya and Raksha Bandhan.
Ø Rituals:
There are many rituals in Jainism's various sects. The basic worship ritual
practised by Jains is darsana ("seeing") of pure self in Jina idols.
Ø Pilgrimages:
Jain Tirtha ("pilgrim") sites are divided into the following
categories:
o
Siddhakshetra
–
Site of the moksha of an arihant (kevalin) or Tirthankara, such as: Ashtapada,
Shikharji, Girnar, Pawapuri, Palitana, Mangi-Tungi, and Champapuri (capital of
Anga).
o
Atishayakshetra
– Locations where divine events have occurred, such as: Mahavirji, Rishabhdeo,
Kundalpur, Tijara, and Aharji.
o
Puranakshetra
– Places associated with lives of great men, such as: Ayodhya, Vidisha,
Hastinapur, and Rajgir.
o
Gyanakshetra
– Places associated with famous acharyas, or centers of learning, such as
Shravanabelagola.
Ø Monasticism:
In Jainism, monasticism is encouraged and respected. Monks and nuns live
extremely serious and ascetic lifestyles. They follow the five main vows strictly,
and observe complete self-discipline. Jain monks, whose presence is not needed
for most Jain rituals, should not be confused with priests. Some Jain sects
often employ a pujari, who need not be a Jain, to perform special daily rituals
and other priestly duties at the temple.
PHILOSOPHY
According to the Jain
Philosophy, there are seven fundamentals (the seven Tattvas or realities in
Jainism) through which the living cycle in the world is continued. They are as
follows:
v Jiva
(i. e. living substance)
v Ajiva
(i. e. matter or non-living substance)
v Asrava
(i. e., the influx of Karmic matter in the soul)
v Bandha
(i. e., bondage of soul by Karmic matter)
v Samvara
(i. e., the stopping of Asrava)
v Nirjara
(i. e., the gradual removal of Karmic matter)
v Moksha
(i. e., the attainment of perfect freedom or salvation)
EPISTEMOLOGY
Jains maintain that
knowledge is the nature of the soul. In Jainism, jnāna (knowledge) is said to
be of five kinds—
v Kevala
Jnana (Omniscience)
v Śrutu
Jñāna (Scriptural Knowledge)
v Mati
Jñāna (Sensory Knowledge)
v Avadhi
Jñāna (Clairvoyance)
v Manah
prayāya Jñāna (Telepathy)
According to Jain text
Tattvartha sutra, the first two are indirect knowledge and the remaining three
are direct knowledge.
ONTOLOGY
Harry Oldmeadow notes
that Jain ontology is both realist
and dualist metaphysics.
It is realist in the sense that knowledge of
ultimate reality does not exclude the reality of the existing world; the
enlightened worldview includes the knowledge of particulars and the world
continues to be real even after the liberation.
It is dualist in the sense that the two prime
categories of substance, soul and matter, are mutually exclusive.
LOGIC
v Syād-vāda
- Syād-vāda in Jainism believes in the doctrine of qualified assertion. As
reality is complex, no single proposition can express the nature of reality
fully. It focuses on what is reality. The belief that truth itself is multiple
is followed according to this logic.
v Anekānta-vāda
- Anekānta-vāda views truth from many viewpoints. It focuses on how to attain
knowledge. The belief that there are multiple ways to attain the truth is
followed according to this logic. It refers to the principles of pluralism and
multiplicity of viewpoints, the notion that truth and reality are perceived
differently from diverse points of view and that no single point of view is the
complete truth.
METAPHYSICS
According to Jain
thought, the basic constituents of reality are:
v Jiva
(Souls),
v Pudgala
(matter)
v Dharma
(motion)
v Adharma
(rest)
v Akasa
(space)
v Kala
(time)
ETHICS
The Maha Vratas (major
vows) of Jainism observed by the Jain ascetics are as follows:
v Ahiṃsā
(Non-violence)
v Satya
(Truth)
v Asteya
(Non-stealing)
v Brahmacharya
(Chastity)
v Aparigraha
(Non-possession)
JAIN
LITERATURE
Basically, the Jain Literature
is divided into following two types:
§ Agam or Canonical Literature (Agam
Sutras): They are the sacred books of the Jain religion.
They are written in the Ardha-magadhi Prakrit language compiled by Ganadharas
and Srut-kevlis.
§ Non-Agam Literature:
they are the commentary and explanation of Agam literature, and independent
works, compiled by ascetics and scholars. They are written in many languages
such as Prakrit, Sanskrit, Apabhramsa, Old Marathi, Rajasthani, Gujarati,
Hindi, Kannad, Tamil, German, and English.
FOUR
ANUYOGAS IN JAIN LITERATURE
§ Pratham anuyoga (Dharma kath anuyoga)
- Religious Stories
· Padma
puran- Ravisen (650 AD)
· Harivamsa
puran- Jinsen II (783 AD)
· Adi
puran- Jinsen II (783 AD)
· Uttar
puran- Gunabhadra (879 AD)
§ Charn anuyoga
– Conduct
· Mulachar-
Vattaura (600 AD)
· Trivarnachar
– Vattaura (600 AD)
· Ratna
karanda shravak achar- Samantabhadra (600 AD)
§ Karan anuyoga (Ganit anuyog) -
Mathematics:
· Surya
prajnapti (Unknown)
· Chandra
prajnapti (Unknown)
· Jaya
dhaval tika- Virsen/Jinsen (780 AD)
· Gommat
sar- Nemichandra Siddhant (1000 AD)
§ Dravy anuyog
- Philosophy:
· Niyamasar-
Kunda kunda (100 AD)
· Panchastikaya-
Kunda kunda (100 AD)
· Pravachanasar
- Kunda kunda (100 AD)
· Samaya
sara- Kunda kunda (100 AD)
· Tattvartha
sutra- Umaswami (200 AD)
· Commentary
on Tattvartha sutra- Samantabhadra (600 AD)
· Commentary
on Tattvartha sutra- Pujyapad (700 AD)
· Commentary
on Tattvartha sutra- Akalank (750 AD)
· Commentary
on Tattvartha sutra- Vidyanand (800 AD)
· Aptamimamsa-
Samantabhadra (600 AD)
· Commentary
on Aptmimamsa - Akalank (750 AD)
· Commentary
on Aptmimamsa - Vidyanand (800 AD)
JAIN
PHILOSOPHERS
The 24 Tirthankaras of
each time are considered to be the main philosophers in Jainism. They are
mentioned as follows:
1
Rishabhanatha (Adinatha)
2
Ajitanatha
3
Sambhavanatha
4
Abhinandananatha
5
Sumatinatha
6
Padmaprabha
7
Suparshvanatha
8
Chandraprabha
9
Pushpadanta
10
Shitalanatha
11
Shreyanasanatha
12
Vasupujya
13
Vimalanatha
14
Anantanatha
15
Dharmanatha
16
Shantinatha
17
Kunthunatha
18
Aranatha
19
Munisuvrata
20
Māllīnātha
21
Naminatha
22
Neminatha
23
Parshvanatha
24
Mahavira
Apart from the 24 Tirthankaras,
the followings are also some of the names of the Jain philosophers:
·
Kundakunda (1st—2nd century CE)
·
Samantabhadra (2nd century CE)
·
Umāsvāti or Umasvami (2nd century CE)
·
Siddhasena Divākara (5th century)
·
Akalanka (5th century)
·
Pujyapada (6th century)
·
Manikyanandi (6th century)
·
Jinabhadra (6th–7th century)
·
Mallavadin (8th century)
·
Haribhadra ( 8th century)
·
Prabhacandra(8th-9th century)
·
Abhayadeva (1057-1135)
·
Acharya Hemachandra (1089-1172)
·
Vadideva ( 11th century)
·
Vidyanandi ( 11th century)
·
Yasovijaya (1624-1688)
COMMUNITIES
The majority of Jains
reside in India. (6-7 million followers)
Outside of India, some
of the largest Jain communities are present in Canada, Europe, Kenya, the UK,
Suriname, Fiji, and the United States.
TEMPLES
Jain followers consider
some pilgrimage sites as their religious, holy and sacred sites. Some of such
temples are mentioned as follows:
·
Lal Mandir.
·
Sonagiri.
·
Khajuraho Jain Temples.
·
Gomateshwara Temple.
·
Dilwara Temples.
·
Palitana.
· Ranakpur Temple.
The
Bhatta-Mimamsa Model of Communication has the outcome of Arthi Bhavana which
means the feeling to take action in the communication process.
