An Introduction to Jainism or Jain Dharma

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An Introduction to Jainism or Jain Dharma

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whole existence as sacred, since it is infused with innumerablesouls, some bound and some liberated. We should therefore, think and

act responsibly towards all existence. The pure soul of each livingbeing is looked upon as Infinite Knowledge, Perception,Consciousness, and Happiness (Ananta Jnana, Ananta Darshana, AnantaCaritra, and Ananta Sukha). In Jainism there is no place for anomnipotent Supreme Being, Creator or Doer, but rather in an eternaluniverse governed by natural laws and inhabited by innumerable souls

in varying degrees of bondage and libeation.ThirthankarasOne of the distinguishing features of Jainism is the concept ofTirthankaras or pure beings who have crossed the world of bondage to

the other side of eternal freedom. A thirthankara is not a god but a

pure soul who shows the way to liberation. The 24 tirthankaras inchronological order are - Adinath (or Rishabhnath), Ajitanath,Sambhavanath, Abhinandananath, Sumatinath, Padmaprabh,Suparshvanath, Chandraprabhu, Pushpadantanath (or Suvidhinath),Sheetalanath, Shreyansanath, Vasupujya, Vimalanath, Anantanath,Dharmanath, Shantinath, Kunthunath, Aranath, Mallinath,Munisuvratanath, Neminath, Arishthanemi, Parshvanath and Mahavir (or

Vardhamana).AhimsaCompassion to all fellow living beings (along with humans) iscentral to Jain belief. Jainism is the only religion wherein allfollowers, both monks and practicing lay persons of all sects andtraditions, are required to be vegetarian. In regions of India withstrong Jain influence, often the majority of the population isvegetarian. In many towns, the Jains run animal shelters. In Delhi,there is a bird hospital run by a Jain temple. Many historiansbelieve that various strains of Hinduism adopted vegetarianism dueto the strong influence of Jainism and Buddhism.Jains cover their mouths to prevent the possibility of inhaling

insects and small organisms, a practice associated with their beliefin non-violence and the possibility of unintentional bad karma. As a

part of its stance on nonviolence, Jainism goes even step beyondvegetarianism, in that the Jain diet also excludes most rootvegetables, as Jains believe such vegetables have an infinite number

of individual souls, invisible to the naked eye. Jains also do noteat certain other foods believed to be unnecessarily injurious. Many

Jains are also vegan, due to the cruelty, and violence inherent inmodern dairy farms. Observant Jains do not eat, drink, or travel

after sunset, and always rise before sunrise.History suggests that various strains of Hinduism became vegetariandue to strong Jain influences. Jains run animal shelters all overIndia. For example, Delhi has a bird hospital run by Jains. Everycity and town in Bundelkhand has animal shelters run by Jains whereall manner of animals are sheltered, even though the shelter isgenerally known as a Gaushala.Existential SufferingJains hold that this temporal world is full of miseries and sorrowand hence in order to attain lasting bliss one must transcend the


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cycle of transmigration. Otherwise, one will remain eternally caught

up in the never-ending cycle of transmigration. The only way tobreak out of this cycle is to practice detachment through rationalperception, rational knowledge and rational conduct.KarmaThe Jain religion places great emphasis on Karma. Essentially, itmeans that all jivas reap what they sow. A happy or miserableexistence is influenced by actions in previous births. These results

may not occur in the same life, and what we sow is not limited tophysical actions. Physical, verbal, and mental activities affectfuture situations. Karma has long been an essential component ofJainism, and other Indian religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism andSikhism. It is believed generally that an omniscient Tirthankar canforesee all things, long before science.TattvasThe backbone of the Jain philosophy are seven fundamental concepts(Tattvas). Please note that some Jain commentators include two moreadditional concepts to the following seven namely merit (punya) anddemerit (papa) karmas. Without knowing these seven basic concepts,one cannot progress towards liberation. They are:Jiva - Souls and living thingsAjiva - Non-living things

Asrava - Influx of karmaBandha - The bondage of karmaSamvara - The stoppage of influx of karmaNirjara - Shedding of karmaMoksha - Liberation or SalvationA simple example: A man rides a wooden boat to reach the other sideof the river. The man is Jiva, the boat is ajiva. Now the boat has a

leak and water flows in. That incoming of water is Asrava andaccumulating there is Bandha. When this man tries to save the boatby blocking the hole, that blockage is Samvara and throwing thewater outside is Nirjara. Moksha is when this man crosses the riverand reaches his destination.

Jain FastingFasting is common among Jains and a part of Jain festivals. MostJains fast at special times, during festivals, and on holy days.Pajushan is the most prominent festival, lasting eight days inSvetambara Jain tradition and ten days in Digambar Jain traditionduring the monsoon. The monsoon is a time of fasting. However, aJain may fast at any time, especially if he or she feels some errorhas been committed. Variations in fasts encourage Jains to dowhatever they can to maintain self controlSome Jains revere a special practice, where a person who is awarethat he or she may die soon, and feels he has completed all hisduties, ceases to eat or drink until death. This form of dying iscalled santhara. It is considered to be extremely spiritual and

creditable. This has recently led to a controversy in India, wherein Rajasthan, a lawyer petitioned the High Court of Rajasthan todeclare Sallekhana illegal. Jains see Sallekhana as spiritualdetachment. It is a declaration that a person has finished withliving in this world and now chooses to leave.Jain worship and ritualsEvery day most Jains bow and say their universal prayer, theNamokara Mantra, aka the Navkar Mantra. Jains have built temples, or

Basadi or Derasar, where images of Tirthankars are worshiped. Jain


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rituals may be elaborate because symbolic objects are offered andTirthankaras praised in song. But some Jain sects refuse to entertemples or worship images. All Jains accept that images ofTirthankaras are merely symbolic reminders of the path that theyhave to take, in order to attain moksha. Jains are clear that theJinas reside in moksha and are completely detached from the world.Jain rituals include: Pancakalyanaka Pratishtha, Pratikramana,Samayika, Guru-Vandana, Chaitya Vandana, and other sutras to honorascetics.AnekantavadaAnekantavada is one of the foundation pillars of Jain philosophy.Literally meaning "Non-one-endedness" or "Nonsingular Conclusivity",

Anekantavada is a set of tools for overcoming the inherent bias inany one perspective on a given subject, object, process, state, orreality in general. One of these tools is known as The Doctrine ofPostulation, i.e., Syadvada. Anekantavada is also define asmultiplicity of views, and stresses looking at things from the other

person's perspective.Creation and cosmologyAccording to Jain beliefs, the universe was never created, nor willit ever cease to exist. Therefore, history of the universe isshaswat (infinite). It has no beginning or end, but time is cyclical

in nature with progressive and regressive spirituality phases. Inother words Jains divide time into Utsarpinis (Progressive TimeCycle) and Avsarpinis (Regressive Time Cycle). An Utsarpini and aAvsarpini constitute one Time Cycle (Kalchakra). Every Utsarpini and

Avsarpini is divided into six unequal periods known as Aras. Duringthe Utsarpini half cycle, humanity develops from its worst to itsbest: ethics, progress, happiness, strength, health, and religioneach start the cycle at their worst, before eventually completingthe cycle at their best and starting the process again. During theAvsarpini half-cycle, these notions deteriorate from the best to the

worst. Jains believe we are currently in the fifth Ara of theAvsarpini phase, with approximately 19,000 years until the next Ara.

After this Avsarpini phase, the Utsarpini phase will begin,continuing the infinite repetition of the Kalchakra.Jains also believe that at the upswing of each time cycle, peoplewill lose religion again. All things people want will be given bywish-granting trees (Kalpavrksa), and people will be born in sets of

twins (Yugalika) with one boy and one girl who stay together alltheir lives. This can be seen as a symbol of an integrated humanwith male and female characteristics balanced.Jain philosophy is based upon eternal, universal truths, according

to its followers. During the first and last two Aras, these truthslapse among humanity and then reappear through the teachings ofenlightened humans, those who have reached enlightenment or totalknowledge (Kevala Jnana), during the third and fourth Aras.Traditionally, in our universe and in our time, Lord Rishabha isregarded as the first to realize the truth. Lord VardhamanaMahavira, was the last Tirthankara to attain enlightenment (599-527BCE), who was himself preceded by twenty-three other Tirthankaras,thus making a total of twenty-four Tirthankaras.It is important to note that the above description stands true "in


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our universe and in our time" for Jains believe there have beeninfinite sets of 24 Tirthankaras, one for each half of the timecycle, and this will continue in the future. Hence, Jainism does not

trace its origins to Rishabh Deva, the first, or Mahavira, thetwenty-fourth, Tirthankara.According to Jainism, the Universe consists of Infinite amount ofJiva'(life force or souls), and the design is similar to a form of a

man standing with his arms bent while resting his hands at hiswaist. The narrow waist part comprises various 'Kshetras' which actas place of 'vicharan' (roaming) for humans, animals and plants.Currently we are in the Bharat Kshetra of 'Jambu Dweep' (dweepmeaning Island) .The Deva' Loka (Heavens) are situated at the symbolic chest part ofthe Creation, where all the Devas (demi gods) reside. Similarlybeneath the waist part are the Narka Loka (Hell). There are suchSeven Narka Lokas, each for a varying degree suffering a jiva' hasto go through to face the consequences of its papa' karma (sins).From the first to the seventh Narka, the degree of sufferingincreases and the amount of Light reaching into it decreases (nolight at all in the seventh Narka).The sidhha kshetra or moksha is situated at the symbolic forehead of

the creation, where all the jivas having attained nirvana reside ina state of complete peace and eternal happiness. Outside thesymbolic figure of this creation nothing but aloka or akaasha (sky)exists.The Religious Tolerance of JainsJains can be remarkably welcoming and friendly toward other faiths.For example, several non-Jain temples in India are administered byJain individuals. The Jain Heggade family has run the institutionsof Dharmasthala including the Sri.Manjunatha Temple for eightcenturies. There are examples of Jains donating money for buildingchurches and mosques. In India, Jains have often helped organizemulti-religious discussions and functions, and Jain monastic leaders

such as the late Acharya Tulsi and Acharya Sushil Kumar, have alsopromoted harmony among followers of rival faiths to help defusecommunal tensions.Jains have been an important presence in Indian culture,contributing to Indian philosophy, art, architecture, sciences, andthe politics of Mohandas Gandhi, which led to Indian independence.Suggested Further Reading

The history of JainismA Treatise on JainismJainism, the theory of syadavada or saptabhangiCanonical Literature of JainismJainism and its approach to the idea of GodThe 24 Thirthankaras of Jainism

The philosophy of Jainism

Source: Adapted with suitable modifications and improvementsfrom Wikipedia article on Jainism under the TGNU FreeDocumentation LicenseWednesday , September 21, 2011


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An Introduction to Jainism or Jain Dharma