JAINISM

Jainism is a Religion and a Way of Life

Animal Compassion

For thousands of years,Jains have been practicing

vegetarianism

Vegetarianism

Meditation & Yoga

For thousands of years,Jains have been practicing

Meditation and Yoga

Meditation

For thousands of years,Jains have been practicing

Equality Equality

Environmentalism

For thousands of years,Jains have been

Environmentalist

Anekantvad

For thousands of years,Jains have been practicing

Non-Absolutism(Respect other views)(Truth has many perspectives)

ORIGINS

Not known

Possibly rooted in indigenous Indic culture before Aryan and Vedic age

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JAINS AND VEDAS

Changes in Vedic traditions could be due to contacts with ancient Jaina traditions

Not part of early Vedic traditions

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TIRTHANKARAThere are 24 Tirthankaras in Jainism

According to Jain philosophy, all Tirthankaras were born as human beings but they have attained a state of perfection or enlightenment through meditation and self realization.

Each was born at a time when humanity needed a new vision of religion

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Tirthankaras

Tirthankaras are also known as Jinas

Jina = one who has conquered inner passions like desire and hatred.

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MAHAVIRA

24th and last Tirthankara

Contemporary of the Buddha

Born 599 BCE

Kundagrama

BACKGROUNDAt age 30, Mahavira renounced all his

wealth, property, wife, family, pleasuresFasted 2 days without waterTook off clothes except for a cloth around

his shoulderTore out hair in 5 handfulsVowed to neglect his body and suffer all

painEventually gave up his cloth too (gave it

to someone else who needed it)

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MAHAVIRA

AT 28, became a follower of Parsva

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PARSVA

- 23rd Tirthankara- 9th C, BC

MAHAVIRA

Achieved kevala (one who has the knowledge to achieve liberation

Thus in lifetime recognized as Tirthankara

Next 30 years, leader of community of disciples

Monks, nuns, laypeople

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JINA/TIRTHANKARA‘ford builder’ – shows the way across

the ocean of sufferingNOT divine incarnationsNOT ‘founders’ of religionsOrdinary humans who have purified

themselvesThus ‘teachers’ rather than gods or

‘god-men’ Perfect human beings

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SCHISMSDigambaras (sky clad)

Total nudity

Follow Mahavira’s example

Clinging to clothing, even a loin cloth, is a form of attachment

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Jain Monastics: Digambara (“sky clad male monks”)

Given up all belongingsLive alone or in small

groups in the forestsTeach Jainism Spend 3 months during

rainy season in one location (to minimize killing insects on the ground from excessive walking)

SCHISMSSvetambaras (white clad)

Protest that external signs (i.e., clothing) are insignificant

View Mahavira’s decision as an option but not a requirement

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Jain Monastics: Two major sectsSvetambara (“white

clad”)Wear white robesLive in communityAdmit both men and

womenSome wear face masks to

protect minute life forms from harm

OTHER DIFFERENCES:Position of women:Svetambaras: women capable of becoming

Tirthankaras(19th Tirthankara, Malli, was a woman)Women orders

Digambaras: women must first be reborn as menNo women orders

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What is Jainism?A

A Philosophy of living.

Jains are followers of JINA, The conqueror of inner enemies.

These inner enemies (Kashay) are

anger (Krodh),

greed (lobh),

ego (man)

Deceit (mayam)

Inner enemies (Kashay) arise out of attachment(rag)-

leading to greed and pride and aversion(dvesh): leading to deceit and anger.

Jainism is a religion of self-help: with out any outside agency - even god coming to the rescue of the soul. The soul is its own destroyer or liberator.

What is Jain Activity?

Any activity of body or Mind that helps us

1. Develop disinterest in satisfying the desires of our five senses (control over passions)

2. Eliminate anger, ego, deceit, greed (Kashay) within our selves 3. Develop a vision to look for only good in others and completely ignore bad in others.-Acharya Haribhadrasuriji (700-770AD

THE ULTIMATE GOALTo free our soul from its bondage of KarmaThrough

Samyak Darshan (Rational prception)Samyak Gnyan (Rational Knowledge)Samyak Charitra (Rational Conduct)

Unique Teachings of Jainism

• God is not a Creator, Preserver or Destroyer of the Universe

• Every living being has a potential to become God

• Path of liberation is to follow rational perception, rational Knowledge and rational conduct

• Conquer your desire by your own effort to attain liberation

Unique Teachings of Jainism

• Proper knowledge of universal substances and fundamental Tattvas are essential for rational perception, knowledge and conduct

• Self purification, penance, austerity and meditation are essential for rational conduct

JAINA METAPHYSICS

Pluralistic (Anakandavada) Doctrine of Manifoldness of reality

Matter and sprit are separate There are innumerable atoms and soulsEach possesses innumerable qualities.

PluralisticRelativistic

Relativistic (Syadvada)1.Sapta Bangi Nyaya (Theory of relativity of knowledge)

•Syat asti (May be it is- Relatively a thing is real)•Syat nasti (May be it is not – Relatively a thing is unreal)•Syat asti nasti (May be it is and it is not – Relatively a thing is both real and unreal) •Syat avaktavyah (May be it is indescribable – Relatively a thing is indescribable)•Syat asti ca avaktavyah (May be it is not and is indescribable- Relatively a thing is real and is indescribable)•Syat asti nasti ca avaktavyah (May be it is not and is indescribable – Relatively a thing is unreal and is indescribable)•Syat asti ca nasti ca avaktavyah (May be it s , is not and is indescribable-Relatively a thing is real unreal and indescribable)

Anekantavad and Syadvad

·Reality (object) has many facets. It has many qualities and properties. This is known as Anekant or multifacetedness·The method or language of expressing this multifacetedness is called Syadvad

Anekantvad

· It is a doctrine of multifacetedness of reality· It is a philosophy or doctrine of non-absolutism· It explains reality metaphysically

Syadvad

· It is a theory of conditional predication· It is a theory of relativity of propositions or judgments· It explains reality epistemologically· It is a method of expressing multifacetedness of objects by using the qualifies ‘Syad’