Eternal India Encyclopedia

INDIA-200 J encyclopedia

RELIGIONS

* The Ranakpur temple and Dilwara Temples on Mount Abu in Rajasthan. * The Gimar Mount temples near Junagadh, in Gujarat. * The Hill of Parasvanatha in Bihar. * Shravanabelagola in Karnataka and several others. * Jainism has limited cult of relics. However, the Jains have erected temples and sanctuaries all over India. * Festivals connected with panca-kalyanakas (the five auspicious events in the life of each Tirthankara). 1. garbhadana (descent in the mother's womb). 2. janma (birth). 3. diksa (renunciation). 4. kevalajnana (attainment of omniscience). 5. moksha or nirvana (death). * In Jain ceremonies a rosary of 108 beads and tablets bearing sacred figures and formulae is used. * Ih the Digambara temples the statues of Jain Tirthankaras and saints are nude and have downcast eyes to indicate spiritual con- centration. * In the Svetambara temples the majority of images are shown in a seated position with crossed legs. The statues wear loin-cloths and have glass eyes. * Offerings of sweetmeats, flowers and fruits are made, incense is burnt and lighted lamps are waved before the images. * Women as well as men perform Jain rituals. Mahavira allowed women to enter the ascetic order. Women were, however, following natural, physiological difference, given a position subordinate to men in the church hierarchy inspite of being potentially equal soul-wise. * One of the most memorable Jain images is the statue of Saint Gommata at Shravanabelagola near Hassan [Karnataka], Standing 561/2 ft. high and measuring thirteen feet around the hips, the figure was carved in about A.D. 981. The last Mahamastakabhisheka ceremony was held in December, 1993. * The most popular festival of the Jains is Pary usana or Pajjusana in the month of Bhadrapada (August - September). Pajjusana means: 1. pacification by forgiving and service with whole-hearted effort and devotion and meditation. 2. staying at one place during the monsoon. During the 'festival, annual pratikramana or confession, is performed to remove all old ill-feelings. * Twice a year, for nine days, during the month of Caitra (March- April) and Asvina (September-October), a fasting ceremony known as Oli is observed. * The full-moon day of Caitra (March-April) is celebrated with great fervour by a large number of pilgrims atop mount Sha- trunjaya, sacred to the first Tirthankara. * On the same day as the Hindus celebrate Diwali (Festival of Lights), Jains also commemorate the Nirvana of Mahavira by lighting lamps. * Mahavira Jayanti, marking the birth of Mahavira, is celebrated all over India. (P.J.T) CEREMONIES / FESTIVALS

when men will be dwarfs in stature. This will be followed by an ascending cycle and then a descending cycle and so on for all eternity. The two cycles together make one rotation of the wheel of time or one kalpa (20 x 10 14 Sagaropama years). * Jainism sees the universe as constituted of living entities with souls (jivas) and non-living entities without souls ( ajivas ). * The souls are divisible into two main classes: immobile ( sthav- ara) and mobile ( trasa ) according to the number of sense organs they possess. The first group has only one sense, that of touch, and consists of small particles of earth, water, fire and air, as also the vegetable kingdom. The second group comprises bodies that have two, three, four or five sense organs. The Jainas believe that the four elements - earth, water, air and fire - as well as plants and vegetation, animals, stones, plants and rocks have souls. * The non-living entities ( ajivas ) are divided into five categories: motion ( dharma ), rest (adharma), space ( akasha ), matter ipudgala) and time (kala). * The Jainas, with the Hindus, believe in the doctrine of Karma and Samsara, in the transmigration of souls. By nature each soul is pure. It acquires karma, which adheres to the soul as matter in a fine atomic form invisible to the human eye, as a result of activity. This karma leads to the acquisition of further karma which leads to the cycle of transmigration. Nirvana (freedom from births) can be obtained by self- discipline, self-realisation, self-denial, austerity and sallekhana (self-meditative slow star- vation to death). * The core of Jain ethics is the doctrine of ahimsa, non-injury to all living creatures. Emphasis on ahimsa is responsible for Jains carrying on with Vi veka (discrimination) the profession of ag- riculture since this involves the destruction of living organisms in the soil. Krishi (Agriculture) was taught to the people by the first Jain Tirthankara Adinath Rishabhadeva himself along with other useful life-arts of masi (writing) and asi (weaponry). Ahimsa signifies love of all creatures and forbids any harm being caused to any living being. It also advocates a positive aspect of doing good and work for welfare of all beings, and ameliorate the condition of the weak and downtrodden . The four major charters of Jainism are known as 'Chaturvidhdana ’. a) Giving food to hungry and poor. b) Saving lives of people in danger. c) Distributing medicines. d) Spreading knowledge. In order to ensure that the fourfold gift tradition is followed, the Jains have established Anna Chhatralayas (the aim houses), Dharma Shalas (the rest houses), Aushadalayas (dispensaries) and Pinjarpols (protection for the helpless animals). * Jainism declares that no one has the right to claim that he alone is in the right. This is called Anekantavada, the many-sidedness, of reality which holds that it is impossible to make an absolute assertion about anything. * The Syadvada aims at harmonising discordant doctrines. * Mahavira preached the doctrine of Triratna or Ratnatraya (three jewels) - right faith, right knowledge and right action along with truth, honesty and chastity.

HOLY PLACES

* Mount Shatrunjaya (city of temples) at Palitana in Gujarat. * Vaishali, the birthplace of Mahavira, in Bihar.