By: Keval Shah
Jainism is one of the oldest religions that originated in India. Jains believe that every soul is divine and has the potential to achieve God-consciousness. Any soul which has conquered its own inner enemies and achieved the state of supreme being is called jina (Conqueror or Victor). Jainism is the path to achieve this state. Jainism is often referred to as Jain Dharma (जैन धर्म) or Shraman Dharma or the religion of Nirgantha or religion of "Vratyas" by ancient texts.
Jainism was revived by a lineage of 24 enlightened ascetics called tirthankaras[1] culminating with Parsva (9th century BCE) and Mahavira (6th century BCE).[2][3][4][5][6] In the modern world, it is a small but influential religious minority with as many as 10 million followers in India,[7] and successful growing immigrant communities in North America, Western Europe, the Far East, Australia and elsewhere.[8]
Jains have sustained the ancient Shraman (श्रमण) or ascetic religion and have significantly influenced other religious, ethical, political and economic spheres in India.
Jains have an ancient tradition of scholarship and have the highest degree of literacy in India.[9] Jain libraries are India's oldest.[10]
Principles and beliefs:-
Jainism differs from other religions in its concept of God. Accordingly, there is no overarching supreme being, divine creator, owner, preserver or destroyer. Every living soul is potentially divine and the Siddhas, those who have completely eliminated their karmic bonds to end their cycle of birth and death, have attained God-consciousness.
A Jain is a follower of Jinas ("conquerors"),[11][12] identifies specially gifted human beings who rediscover the dharma, become fully liberated and teach the spiritual path to benefit all living beings. Practicing Jains follow the teachings of 24 special Jinas who are known as Tirthankaras "('ford-makers", or "those who have discovered and shown the way to salvation"). Tradition states that the 24th, and most recent, Tirthankar is Shri Mahavir, lived from 599 to 527 BCE. The 23rd Tirthankar, Shri Parsva, is a historical person, who lived from 872 to 772 BC.[13][14]
Jainism encourages spiritual development through reliance on and cultivation of one's own personal wisdom and self-control (व्रत, vrata).[15] The goal of jainism is to realize the soul's true nature. "Samyak darshan gyan charitrani moksha margah", the (triple gems of Jainism), meaning "true/right perception, knowledge and conduct" provides the path for attaining liberation (moksha) from samsara (the universal cycle of birth and death). Moksha is attained by liberation from all karma. Those who have attained moksha are called siddha, "liberated souls", and those who are attached to the world through their karma are called samsarin "mundane souls". Every soul has to follow the path, as described by the Jinas (Tirthankaras), to attain moksha.
Jaina tradition identifies Rishabha (also known as Adhinath) as the First Tirthankar of this declining (avasarpini) kalachakra (time cycle).[16] The first Tirthankar, Rishabhdev/ Adhinath, appeared prior to the Indus Valley Civilization. The swastika symbol and naked statues resembling Jain monks, which archaeologists have found among the remains of the Indus Valley Civilization, tend to support this claim.
Jains hold that the Universe and Dharma are eternal, without beginning or end. However, the universe undergoes processes of cyclical change. The universe consists of living beings ("Jīva") and non-living beings ("Ajīva"). The samsarin (worldly) soul incarnates in various life forms. Human, animal, plant, deity, and hell-being are the four forms of the samsari souls. All worldly relations of one's Jiva with other Jiva and Ajiva are based on Karma.
The main Jain prayer (Namokar Mantra) therefore salutes the five special categories of souls that have attained God-consciousness or are on their way to achieving it, to emulate and follow these paths to salvation.
Another major characteristic of Jain belief is the emphasis on the consequences of not only physical but also mental behaviours.
Jain practices are derived from the above fundamentals. For example, the principle of non-violence seeks to minimize karmas which may limit the capabilities of the soul. Jainism views every soul as worthy of respect because it has the potential to become Siddha (Param-atma - "pure soul"). Because all living beings possess a soul, great care and awareness is essential in one's actions in the incarnate world. Jainism emphasizes the equality of all life, advocating harmlessness towards all, whether these be creatures great or small. This policy extends even to microscopic organisms. Jainism acknowledges that every person has different capabilities and capacities and therefore assigns different duties for ascetics and householders. The "great vows" (mahavrata) are prescribed for monks and "limited vows" (anuvrata) are prescribed for householders.
There are five basic ethical principles (vows) prescribed. The degree to which these principles must be practiced is different for renunciant and householder. Thus:
- Non-violence (Ahimsa) - to cause no harm to living beings.
- Truth (Satya) - to always speak the truth in a harmless manner.
- Non-stealing (Asteya) - to not take anything that is not willingly given.
- Celibacy (Brahmacarya) - to not indulge in sensual pleasures.
- Non-possession (Aparigraha) - to detach from people, places, and material things.
Ahimsa, "Non-violence", is sometimes interpreted as not killing, but the concept goes far beyond that. To achieve the goal of non-violence mind and body must harmonize thoughts, speech and actions to "the heart which knows nothing but love".[citation needed] There can be no thought to injure others and no speech inciting injury by others.[18].
Satya, "truthfulness", is also to be practiced by all people. Given that non-violence has priority, all other principles yield to it, whenever there is a conflict. For example, if speaking truth will lead to violence, it is perfectly ethical to be silent. Thiruvalluvar in his Tamil classic devotes an entire chapter clarifying the definition of 'truthfulness'.
Asteya, "non-stealing", is the strict adherence to one's own possessions, without desire to take another's. One should remain satisfied by whatever is earned through honest labour. Any attempt to squeeze others and/or exploit the weak is considered theft. Some of the guidelines for this principle are:
- Always give people fair value for labor or product.
- Never take things which are not offered.
- Never take things that are placed, dropped or forgotten by others
- Never purchase cheaper things if the price is the result of improper method (e.g. pyramid scheme, illegal business, stolen goods, etc.)
Brahmacarya, "monastic celibacy", is the complete abstinence from sex, which is only incumbent upon monastics. Householders, practice monogamy as a way to uphold brahmacarya in spirit.[19].
Aparigraha, "non-possession", is the renounciation of property and wealth, before initiation into monkhood, without entertaining thoughts of the things renounced. This is done so one understands how to detach oneself from things and possessions including home and family so one may reach moksa[20]. For householders, non possession is owning without attachment, because the notion of possession is illusory. The reality of life is that change is constant, thus objects owned by someone today will be property of someone else in future days. The householder is encouraged to discharge his or her duties to related people and objects as a trustee, without excessive attachment.
