Jainism

Jainism: A Religion of Non-Violence

Background:

  • Approximately 7 to 8 million followers world-wide
  • Originated in India, and not an offshoot of Hinduism
  • Little known outside India
  • Jain congregation consists of
  • Monks and Nuns
  • Male and Female Householders
  • No priestly caste, do not believe in caste system
  • Main sects:
  • Shvetambara: Monks wear white garments “white-robed”
  • Digambara: Monks do not wear any clothes “sky-robed”
  • Sthanakvasi: Do not believe in Idol Worship
  • Key Text: Tatvarth Sutra
  • Derived from word Jina, meaning “Conquerer”
  • Jina is the One who conquered “inner” enemies:
    • Desire, Anger, Pride, Greed, Deceit, etc.
    • Jinas attained Supreme Knowledge, free of any attachments
    • Jinas are Souls liberated from the cycles of life and death
    • People who follow the path of Jinas are called “Jains”
  • Jinas are of two types:
    • Samanya: concerned with their own salvation
    • Tirthankar : Attained their own salvation, but, also showed path of liberation to all.
  • 24 Tirthankars “Spiritual Teachers”, “Supreme Guides”
  • Mahavira (meaning Great Hero) was the 24th Tirthankar, lived in India (599 – 527 B.C.), a contemporary of Buddha

God and the Universe:

  • Does not believe in Creator God
  • Jinas are not Supernatural beings nor incarnation of God.
  • We, human beings, are entitled to become Jinas by following the path of liberation through our own efforts.
  • Universe has no beginning and no end
  • Time cycle divided into two halves of 6 unequal periods:
    • Ascending: conditions go from worst to best
    • Descending: conditions go from best to worst
  • Currently, we are in the 5th period (Ara) of the Descending Time cycle.
  • These time cycles repeat and continue forever.
  • Non-Violence – Ahimsa
  • Theory of Karma
  • Liberation of Soul – Moksha – Nirvana
  • Multiplicity of Viewpoints – Anekantava
  • Non-possessiveness – Aparigraha
  • Non-Violence is the Supreme Religion
  • Key Belief: All living beings possess Soul
  • Ahimsa – Non-violence to all living beings (not just humans)
  • Reverance for all life – “Live and Let Live”
  • Jain monks abstain from all killing:
  • Practice of Total Non-Violence
  • Jain householders abstain from killing higher forms of life:
    • Jains follow strict vegetarian diet (no meat, no sea food, no eggs)
    • Some Jains refrain from honey, and root vegetables and do not wear silk or leather
  • Non-Violence to be practiced in three forms:
    • Physical: No killing, No injury, No physical pain
    • Verbal: No harsh words, No abusive languageo
    • Mental: No ill-feeling towards others
  • Also, violence or injury should not be:
    • Committed, Commissioned, or Consented to

Theory of Karma:

  • Provides an explanation to apparently inexplicable phenomena of
    • Birth and Death
    • Happiness and Misery
    • Inequalities in mental/physical attainments
  • Theory of Karma is the Law of Cause and Effect:
  • Good Deeds through actions, thought or speech lead to Good life
  • Bad Deeds lead to misery and misfortune
  • Soul’s true nature is covered with karmic particles from eternity
  • Influx of new Karma caused by our desires, attachments, likes, dislikes, anger, pride, greed, deceit, violence, etc.
  • These new Karmic particles bond to the Soul
  • This bondage is the cause of cycles of life and death:
  • When we “die”, the Soul takes on new body depending on the Karmas we accumulated in the previous life.
  • We are reborn either in Heaven, Human life (due to good deeds),
  • Hell, or Sub-human (animal/plant) life (due to bad deeds)
  • This cycle of life and death continues until our Soul attains Salvation or Liberation (“Moksha” or Nirvana)

How does Soul attain Liberation?

  • Salvation (Freedom of Soul from all Karmas) is achieved by:
    • One’s own pure deeds through non-attachment (No one else: human beings or God can do it for you)
    • Having Right Faith, Right Knowledge, Right Conduct
    • Stopping the influx of new Karmas into the Soul through
    • Pure Thoughts
    • Pure Speecho
    • Pure Actions
    • Consuming existing Karmas (attached to the Soul) through the practice of austerities and penance.

Multiplicity of Viewpoints:

  • Every object has many facets and can be fully perceived by looking at it from various viewpoints
  • Example: An elephant perceived by blind men may appear as
    • a rope (for its tail)
    • a wall (for its back)
    • pillar (for its legs)
    • a fan (for its ears)
  • Truth can be stated in different ways depending on the viewpoints.
  • This attitude brings Tolerance and Respect to other living beings and their feelings and viewpoints/perspectives.
  • This attitude reduces conflict for individuals at home and at work.

Ethical Code:

  • Five Vows:
    1. Non-Violence – Abstention from violence
    2. Truth – Abstention from lying
    3. Non-stealing – Abstention from theft
    4. Chastity – Abstention from sexuality
    5. Non-possessiveness- Abstention from greed/possessions
  • Monks practice these five vows totally
  • Householders practice these five vows partially
  • Control Four Passions:
    1. Anger
    2. Pride
    3. Deceit
    4. Greed

Householders’ Six Daily Duties:

  1. Worship of Tirthankars
  2. Study of Scriptures with guidance from a Teacher (Guru)
  3. Practice of Self- Control
  4. Practice of Austerities
  5. Meditation
  6. Charity

“Living is Killing but the Best Living is the Least Killing”

Significance and Impact:

  • Emphasis of Non-violence to all living beings:
  • Mahatma Gandhi’s practice of non-violence was influenced by a Jain teacher
  • Practice of animal sacrifice to “please” Gods in India was eliminated
  • Killing of animals for hunting, sports, and decoration purposes was greatly reduced
  • Practice of vegetarian diet was adopted by a larger population
  • Inculcation of Self-Reliance:
  • One controls his/her own destiny
  • Salvation/Liberation depends on his/her own efforts
  • Establishment of Social Equality:
    • Rejected the caste/class system in India
  • Divisions based on nature of activities:
    • Householders: Followers of Jainism principles partially
    • Monks: Followers of Jainism principles totally
  • Multiplicity of Viewpoints:
    • Insistence of Tolerance and Respect of other religions, race
    • Encouragement to Social Welfare:
    • Welfare of needy persons, animals
    • Limiting the accumulation of worldly material possessions
    • Reduction of Violence physically, verbally, and mentally

Quotations

  • “ I liked the doctrines of Jainism greatly. If I were to be reborn, I wish to be born as a Jain.” -George Bernard Shaw
  • “ Jain principles need to be promoted world wide” -Benjamin Zephaniah
  • “ Non-violence is the highest ideal. It is meant for the brave, never for the cowardly.” -Mahatma Gandhi
  • “ Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself,” -Leo Tolstoy
  • “ When you are ready to give up your rights; When you are ready to support the rights of others – This is the start of Non-Violence” -Mahavira

References:

  1. Jainism: A Pictorial Guide to the Religion of Non-Violence by Kurt Titze, Motilal Banarsidaa Publishers , Delhi, Second Edition 2001
  2. A Handbook of Jainology by Acharyadeo Shri Bhuvanbhanusoorishwarji, Shree Vishva Kalyan Prakashan Trust Mehsaanaa, 1987
  3. India Unveiled by Robert Arnett, Atman Press 19994. Pratistha Mahotsav published by Jain Center of Northern California

Websites:

Jain Center of Greater Phoenix
JAINA National organization
Wikipedia Entry on Jainism
Jainism Global Resource Center
Jainism information
Jainism Sacred Texts English Translation
Jainism – Religion Facts

Symbols: Jain Religious Symbols

Books:

Jainism: the world of conquerors – Natubhai Shah – 1998 – 322 pages

Jainism: an Indian religion of salvation – Helmuth von Glasenapp, Shridhar B. Shrotri – 1999 – 551 pages

Songs on Youtube:

Namokar Mantra – Youtube
Namokar Mantra with meaning
Forgiveness Prayer: Khamemi Savva Jive – Youtube
Universal Peace Prayer
Compassion Poem (in Gujarati)