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Jainism | A Wisdom Archive on Jainism | | Jainism Jainism is an ancient religion, more ancient than what most of us are given to believe. Although a lot of people associate Jainism with Lord Mahavira as its founder but nothing can be further from truth. Lord Mahavira was not the founder of Jainism but the last of the 24 Tirthankaras .
Like Buddhism and Yoga-Sankhya philosophy propagated by Maharishi Patanjali, Jainism is a non-theistic system of philosophical thought and religious belief. It does not subscribe to the view of a supreme Godhead underlying all reality but Jainism accepts the existence of a soul or atman . According to Jainism, there are countless individual atmans who need to get purified, rarified and ultimately identify themselves with the universal soul or the Supreme Paramatman. | |
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| Resources on Jainism | | | | Jainism - A way to cleanse Jainism is an ancient religion, more ancient than what most of us are given to believe. Although a lot of people associate Jainism with Lord Mahavira as its founder but nothing can be further from truth. Lord Mahavira was not the founder of Jainism but the last of the 24 Tirthankaras . It is very difficult to envisage and visualise how old and ancient this religion is because the period between the coming to earth of each of the Tirthankaras was yugas or eons. The first Tirthankara of the Jains was Lord Rishabnatha also referred by some as Vrishabhanatha .
Lord Mahavira who is also addressed as Vardhamana Mahavira was a contemporary of the Buddha, Gautama Siddhartha. But he was elder to the Buddha. It is believed that they preached in and around the same area of Magadha in India around 500 BC. Surprisingly they never met one another unlike Lao Tse and Confucius who were also contemporaries in China around the same time but recorded history confirms that they did have a historic meeting. However, disciples of both the Buddha and Mahavira, it is believed, interacted with each other sharing and exchanging notes.
Like Buddhism and Yoga-Sankhya philosophy propagated by Maharishi Patanjali, Jainism is a non-theistic system of philosophical thought and religious belief. It does not subscribe to the view of a supreme Godhead underlying all reality but Jainism accepts the existence of a soul or atman . According to Jainism, there are countless individual atmans who need to get purified, rarified and ultimately identify themselves with the universal soul or the Supreme Paramatman.
Cleansing of the individual atman is required since the atman is burdened with the defilement of both positive and negative karma of body, speech and mind. The fruition in following the prescribed spiritual path in Jainism leads to a mere mortal donning the mantle of a Jina and residing in the palace of supernatural accomplishments. This metaphysical sphere is known as the Siddhasila region or sphere.
The goal of a Jain devotee or practitioner is obvious. The individual soul or jivataman needs to identify and repose in the paramatman through the attainment of the state of Jinahood. For this the help of Arhats, Siddhas, Acharyas and Upadhyayas are marshalled. Therefore, the principle of the Jainism, without the elaborations of mentioning particular individuals gurus or Tirthankaras, is to beckon the host of faceless holy atmans , who have graduated through the holy stages from upadhyaya to arhatship , is:
Namo Arhantanam,
Namo Siddhanam,
Namo Ayariyanam,
Namo Uvajjhayanam,
Namo loye savva sahunam.
In Jainism one does not pray from fear or for favour. The only legitimate reason for worship in Jainism is to gain the qualities of the virtues of the Jinas and imbibe their goodness, so there is no room for materialism and pursuit of prayer for sense gratification. Material gratification adds on to the tally of our karma . To attain to the state of a Jina is to annihilate karma, hence it is futile and unnecessary to pray for material gains.
This unique approach is strikingly refreshing in Jainism in contrast to the other religions where we see most people praying, begging, cajoling and demanding fervently from their deities to gain material benefits or protection from misfortunes. Such a prayer according to Jains, is selfish praying and worship, and cannot be considered spiritually legitimate or efficacious for the soul's upward journey into the vast nothingness.
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| | | | Jainism - Nirvana The ultimate objective of Mahavir's teaching is the attainment of total freedom from the cycle of birth, life, pain, misery, and death, and achieve the blissful state of one's pure self. This is also known as liberation or Nirvana, which is absolute freedom, or Moksha.
A living body is not merely limbs and flesh but it is the home of the soul, which has the potential to achieve perfect perception ( Anant-darshana ), perfect knowledge ( Anant-jnana ), perfect power ( Anant-virya ), and perfect bliss ( Anant-sukha ).
From eternity, the soul of a living being is bonded by the deeds or Karma of his mortal existence. Under the influence of karma, the soul seeks pleasures in materialistic belongings and possessions or Maya. Man by nature is prone to anger, self-centred violent thoughts, hatred, greed, and such other vices. To attain Nirvana, the soul must be made stronger so that it can influence the body to do good deeds.
Mahavir preached that right faith ( Samyak-darshana ), right knowledge ( Samyak-jnana ), and right conduct
(Samyak-charitra ) together will help attain the liberation of one's self.
At the heart of right conduct for Jains lie the five great vows:
- Nonviolence ( Ahimsa )
- Truthfulness ( Satya )
- Non-stealing ( Asteya )
- Chastity ( Brahmacharya )
- Non-possession/Non-attachment ( Aparigraha or complete detachment from people, places, and material things)
The monks and nuns follow these vows strictly and totally, while the common people try to adhere to them as far as possible. |
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| ARTICLES RELATED TO Jainism | | | |  Jainism:
Hindu -
Hinduism Dictionary on Jainism
Jainism: (Jaina) (Sanskrit) An ancient non-Vedic religion of India made prominent by the teachings of Mahavira ("Great Hero"), ca 500 bce. The Jain Agamas teach reverence for all life, vegetarianism and strict renunciation for ascetics. Jains focus great emphasis on the fact that all souls may attain liberation, each by his own effort. Their great historic saints, called Tirthankaras ("Ford-Crossers"), are objects of worship, of whom Mahavira was the 24th and last. Jains number about six million today, living mostly in India. See: Mahavira.
(See
also: Jainism ,
Hinduism,
Body Mind and Soul)
For more dictionary entries, see » Jainism Dictionary |
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| | |  Jainism: Encyclopedia II - Pilgrimage - Jainism
In Jainism, a tirtha may be
Siddha kshetra: site of liberation of a Kevali (including Tirthankaras) like Ashtapad hill, Sammet Shikhar, Champa, Girnar, Pava and Shatrunjaya.
Atishaya kshetra: where divine events have occurred like Mahavirji, Kesariaji, Kundalpur etc.
Purana kshetra: associated with lives of shalaka-purushas, like Ayodhya, Vidisha, Hastinapur etc.
Gyana kshetra: associated with famous Acharyas or centers of learning, like Mohankhe ...
See also:Pilgrimage, Pilgrimage - Antiquity, Pilgrimage - Bahá'í Faith, Pilgrimage - Buddhism, Pilgrimage - Christianity, Pilgrimage - Hinduism, Pilgrimage - Islam, Pilgrimage - Hajj, Pilgrimage - Ziarah, Pilgrimage - Jainism, Pilgrimage - Judaism Read more here: » Pilgrimage: Encyclopedia II - Pilgrimage - Jainism |
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| | | | Jainism: Encyclopedia II - Jainism - Universal History and Jain Cosmology According to Jain beliefs, the universe was never created, nor will it ever cease to exist. It is eternal but not unchangeable, because it passes through an endless series of cycles. Each of these upward or downward cycles is divided into six world ages (yugas). The present world age is the fifth age of one of these "cycles", which is in a downward movement. These ages are known as "Aaro" as in "Pehela Aara" or First Age, "Doosra Aara" or Second Age and so on. The last one is the "Chhatha Aara" or Sixth Age. ...
See also:Jainism, Jainism - Overview of Jain Dharma, Jainism - Universal History and Jain Cosmology, Jainism - Beliefs and practices, Jainism - Jain Symbols, Jainism - Jain Literature, Jainism - Jain Worship and Rituals, Jainism - Digambar and Shvetambar Traditions, Jainism - Geographical spread and influence, Jainism - Jain Contributions to Indian Culture, Jainism - Jainism and Indian Archaeology, Jainism - Holy sites, Jainism - Jain Temples in the West, Jainism - Holy days, Jainism - Jainism and other religions Read more here: » Jainism: Encyclopedia II - Jainism - Universal History and Jain Cosmology |
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| | |  Jainism: Festival of Fasting - Paryushan Parva
According to Jain tradition, among the 12 types of penances, the first four - anshan (fasting), unodari (eating less), vritti-sankshepa (selective eating) and rasa-parityaga (taste-selection) - are particularly good for health. Fasting is more than mere abstinence from food. US scientist Selton says: "Food intake leads to accumulation of toxicants in the body which adversely affect health". Fasting is one way of getting rid of toxic substances from the body since it provides rest to the digestive system. A faulty digestive system can have a negative effect on the functioning of the respiratory system, leading to breathing problems.
(See also: Paryushan Parva , Indian Festivals,
Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and
Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)
Read more here: » Paryushan Parva: Festival of Fasting - Paryushan Parva |
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| | |  Jainism: Kundalini and Sahaja Yoga (Spontaneous Yoga)Kundalini
Awakening
Kundalini
awakening or pranic awakening and its cross-tradition similars-the spontaneous
spinal rockings known in Judaism as davening and in
Sufisim as zikr; the "taken-over"
gyrations of gospel "holy ghost" shaking and dancing and
charismatic/pentacostal "mani-festations"; the Dionysian
"revel"; Quakerisms and Shakerism's autonomic quaking and shaking;
Tai Chi guided by chi itself; the shamanic trance-dance;
Buddhisms and Raja-Yogas effortless "straight back" (uju-kaya)
meditation; the yogically derived ecstatic belly-dance and Flamenco; and even
the full-bodied, spontaneous Reichian "reflex"-literally embody the
spiritual path.
Read more here: » Kundalini
Awakening: Kundalini and Sahaja Yoga (Spontaneous Yoga) |
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| | |  Jainism:
Bhakti Yoga Dictionary on Anubhava
Anubhava - one of the five essential ingredients of rasa. The actions which display or reveal the spiritual emotions situated within the heart are called anubhavas. The anubhavas are thirteen in number: 1) nrtya (dancing) , 2) vilunthita (rolling on the ground) , 3) gita (singing) , 4) krosana (loud crying) , 5) tanu-motana (writhing of the body) , 6) hunkara (roaring) , 7) jrmbhana (yawning) , 8) svasa-bhua (breathing heavily) , 9) loka-anapeksita (giving up concern for public image) , 10) lalasrava (salivating) , 11) atta-hasa (loud laughter) , 12) ghurna (staggering about) , and 13) hikka (a fit of hiccups).
(See also:
Anubhava , Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind
and Soul)
For more dictionary entries, see » Jainism Dictionary |
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| | |  Jainism: Sincere Prayer for Peace and Harmony
In India, the day begins with worship. People pray, bow and meditate. Members of the Jain community all over India bathe, put on new clothes and walk barefoot to their local temple. They embark on their daily pilgrimage with no possessions and with high aspirations. Some of them carry a cloth mask which they wear when inside the temple. From the moment they walk into the temple, all worldly concerns are set aside to facilitate meditation. Their focus is on the Tirthankaras , the teachers who conquered their own vices to teach the world about compassion and salvation through example. The recitation of the Namokar Mahamantra encourages them to salute the achievements of all divine souls who attained salvation.
(See also: Jainism Worship , God and Religion,
Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind
and Soul)
Read more here: » Jainism Worship: Sincere Prayer for Peace and Harmony |
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| | |  Jainism: Mahavir's Thoughts On Economics
Post-industrial revolution, developed nations acquired dominant control over world resources. But industrial pollution began to threaten the environment. Powerful nations became more of a threat than sources of strength, as they had their eyes on economic empire-building. Mahavira said that the one who rejects the people and the world, rejects his own existence; and the one who rejects his own existence rejects the existence of the world. He said: "Do not reject the existence of the world and do not reject your existence as well. The most important principle of environment is that you are not the only element. When you do something for yourself you must know your action/s will impact the entire world." So what can an individual do? How do his actions affect the rest of the world?
(See also: Mahavira , Indian Festivals,
Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and
Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)
Read more here: » Mahavira: Mahavir's Thoughts On Economics |
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| | |  Jainism: Nanak's Musical Path to Ananda
Idol worship, caste and ascetic austerity had no place in Nanak's religion. He believed in one God, Ek Omkar ; singing His praises was the best way of devotion. He advocated listening to kirtan or hymn singing and set his compositions to music in suitable ragas or melodies. Nanak was 27 when he went out to spread the Name of God expounding the message of 'true path'. With Mardana as companion, he travelled throughout the country, going as far as Tibet in the north and Sri Lanka in the south. He even visited Mecca. Wherever he went, his hymn-singing drew large crowds. Mardana would faithfully reproduce notes on the rabab as Nanak sang his way to the hearts of the listeners.
(See also: Nanak , Indian Festivals,
Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and
Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)
Read more here: » Nanak: Nanak's Musical Path to Ananda |
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| | |  Jainism: Scientific Heritage Of Jain Philosophy
Although ancient Jain scientific thought is not so well known, it is a rich source of Indian scientific heritage. The grand Jain spiritual tradition and its masters broadly influenced Indian thought and rationality in three key areas: Atomism, non-absolutism and mathematical concepts including the theory of numbers: As realists, a satisfactory explanation for the origin of the material world was important to Jain philosophers. Karma, according to the Jains, is paudgalika or of material nature. By its linkages with body and thus with the outer world, the soul is literally penetrated with material particles of a very subtle kind.
(See also: Jain Philosophy , Indian Festivals,
Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and
Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)
Read more here: » Jain Philosophy: Scientific Heritage Of Jain Philosophy |
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