Eternal India Encyclopedia

Eternal India

encyclopedia

RELIGIONS

JAINISM

Followers practise meditation, which at the end of the life, is followed by

mortification of the flesh to attain perfection through non-violence.

Survived a twelfth century resurgence of Hinduism because of the

economic power of its followers and the conservation of its teachings -

having soul-power.

Simple, peace-loving tolerant religion.

Jains, one of the most prosperous and urban communities in present times

mainly in India.

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swastika

sur-

mounted

three

dots and a half moon

with dot. The arms

of the swastika sym-

bolize the four

stages of birth. The dots stand for the three

jewels of Jainism. The half moon with dot

symbolises

moksha

(liberation)

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CHRONOLOGY

c 599 B.C.

Birth of Mahavira

c 527 B.C.

Death of Mahavira

LINEAGE

He achieved

moksha

(liberation) at Pavapuri in Bihar.

Mahavira was born at Vaishali into a

Kshatriya

family. Ma-

havira's name at birth was Vardhamana. He married and begot

a daughter.

After his parents' death, he renounced the world, he tore out

his hair by the roots and became a monk. For twelve and a

half years he led an ascetic life in seclusion, meditation with

nudity. He finally became a Jina (a victor over his own

passions).

He came to be known as

Kevalin

(Omniscient),/4r/zata (Vener-

able) and

Mahavira

(Great Hero).

The Jainas believe that Mahavira was not the founder of a new

religious system but the last of a long succession of twenty-

four Tirthankaras or "ford-makers across the stream of exis-

tence". The twenty-third teacher, Parsva (8-9th century B.C.)

the immediate predecessor of Mahavira, was a prince of Be-

nares. At the age of thirty, he renounced all worldly pleasures

and began a life of austerity. For over seventy years, Parsva

wandered around, gathering disciples and teaching them to

observe four vows: not to take life, not to lie, not to steal and

non-attachment.

Mahavira added a fifth vow, of

Brahmacharya

(continence),

to the original four.

SECTS

Around 300 BC Jain monks began to quarrel, splitting into the

Svetambara

(white-clothed) and the

Digambara

(air-clothed)

who took a vow of nudity.

The

Digambara's

centre is in Karnataka.

The

Svetambaras

are mostly found in the cities of western

India.

SCRIPTURES

The

Agama

(canon) is the source of the system.

The

Angas,

the

Purvas

and

Prakima

besides sacred writings

containing interpretation of Jain philosophy.

Navakara Mantra

pays homage not to individuals but to five

classes of

paramesthins

or evolved souls.

The other important religious texts are

Dwadashangas

and

Mulashashtras.

CODE OF CONDUCT

Each Jain monastic community is governed by an

acharya

superior who decides disciplinary and doctrinal matters.

There are also communities of nuns who follow many of the

practices.

The days and nights are divided into periods for requesting

alms, eating, studying, meditating, teaching, mortifying the

body and confessing faults.

Monashis are identified by their shaved heads. Monks are

known as

yatis

munis.

Members of the laity are encouraged to take twelve vows, but

first they must profess their faith in the religion of the

Tirthank-

aras.

They must renounce all doubt and desire to belong to another

religion, accept the reality of soul and karma and resolve not

to associate with hypocrites.

The path to liberation passes through five stages of knowledge

Mad

(right perception),

Sruta

(clear knowledge based on

scripture),

Avadhi

(distant,

supernatural

knowledge),

Manahparyaya

(clear knowledge of the thought of others) and

Kevala

(omniscience, the highest form of knowledge).

The twelve vows to be taken by the laity are :

Never intentionally take life or destroy a

jiva.

Never lie or exaggerate.

Never steal.

Never be unfaithful to one's spouse or think unchaste

thoughts.

Limit oneself in the accumulation of wealth and give

away all extra possessions.

Limit chances of committing transgressions.

Limit the number of personal possessions.

Guard against unnecessary evils.

Observe periods of sinless meditation.

10.

Observe special periods of limitation.

11.

Spend some time living as a monastic.

12.

Give alms to a monastic community.

* The first five vows are similar to the monastic vows.

PHILOSOPHY

Jains see the universe as eternal and uncreated and reject the

concept of a supreme being as creator or creative spirit.

Time is eternal and formless. It is conceived as a wheel with 12

spokes called

aras

or ages. Six make an ascending cycle

(utsarpini)

when man progresses in knowledge, age, stature and

happiness. At the height of this cycle men reach an enormous

height and live to a tremendous age. In the descending cycle

(avasarpini)

everything is in a state of decline. The world is

now

declining. The process of decline will continue for 40,000 years

r '

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Origin : Pre-Historic and 8th-9th Century B. C.

’lace: India

Founder : Adinatha Rishabhadeva (pre-historic) Parshva (8th-9th B.C.)

Mahavira (6th C. B.C.)

Global following

3,927,000(0.1%)

Global spread

(11 countries)

Predominant

Asia

Nos. in (’000)

Africa

Asia

Europe

Latin

North Oceania Eurasia

America

3.847