MAJOR RELIGIONS // LESSON – 5 // JAINISM //

 

LESSON – 5

JAINISM

I. Introduction

Jainism is an ancient Indian religion and a philosophical tradition that blazed new trails. The name Jainism is derived from the word jinas meaning spiritual victors, great teachers and ford makers. Jains have given the title ford makers to twenty four jinas who are known as Tirthankaras. The exact time of the origin of Jainism is difficult to determine. In ancient times Jainism was known by many names. Jainism is basically a religion of the Kshatriyas. Although this religion is open for all and anybody can become a Jain, so far only Kshatriyas have become Tirthankaras.

Jainism does not believe in God but Jains do not consider it as an atheistic religion because they believe and revere many individuals who have attained liberation known as Tirthankaras. The Jains have an established religious order known as Tirthankaras. The Tirthankaras are those who have attained kevalajnana or total knowledge through their spiritual struggle. The Tirthankaras help others to cross the floods of samsara, the cycle of birth and death. Mahavira was the last of the spiritual lineage of the twenty-four Tirthankaras. Jainism proclaims the universal message of ahimsa or nonviolence towards all living creatures. Jainism teaches a path of spiritual purity and enlightenment through a disciplined mode of life.

II. The Founder: Vardhamana Mahavira

Mahavira was a contemporary of Gautama the Buddha who was the founder of Buddhism. They lived during turbulent times especially in the religious sphere of life. Those were the days of religious turmoil and vacuum in the spiritual life of common people due to Brahmanic priestly monopoly, sacrificial system, worship and prayers offered in Sanskrit. The common people felt that felt was a religious oppression. Mahavira and the Buddha used the language that common people understood, such as Ardhamagadhi and other Prakrit languages. Mahavira preceded Buddha and paved the way for religious reformation.

Mahavira was born in Kundapura near Vaishali in a royal family. Today it is in the Bihar state of India. The traditional Jaina date for Mahavira’s birth is 599 BC. There is a legend regarding his birth. He is supposed to have been conceived in the womb of the Brahmin Devananda. He saw fourteen prophetic dreams but after three lunar cycles he was divinely transferred to the womb of the Kshatriya, Trishala. He also was said to have had the same fourteen prophetic dreams. These fourteen dreams indicate that the child would become either an emperor or a Tirthankara. This story probably resulted from the Jaina tradition that all the Tirtankaras were Kshatriyas. Prior to this all religious leaders and authorities were Brahmins.

Mahavira’s father’s name was King Siddartha. His father’s wealth and kingdom increased when his mother was pregnant. Therefore, his parents gave him the name Vardhamana. He was raised in royal luxury and comfort. He was courageous. He was known for his courage and self-control. He received his education in the philosophy, literature, the arts and military and administrative sciences.

Vardhamana was given the name Mahavira which means a great hero. Mahavira married a princess named Yashoda, and they had a daughter, Anojja. She eventually married his nephew Jamali, who later caused a schism in the order. When Mahavira was 28 years old his parents died. He wanted to renounce the world at that time but to please his elder brother he agreed to live at home for two more years. During this time, he practiced self-discipline, giving up luxuries and giving charity to beggars every day of the last year.

At the age of thirty Mahavira renounced all his wealth, property, wife, daughter, family, relatives, and pleasures. In a garden of the village Kundapura he sat at the foot of an Ashoka tree when no one else was present. After fasting two days without water or food, he took off all his clothes, tore out the hair, of his head in five handfuls, and put a single piece of cloth on his shoulder. According to another tradition, “For a year and a month he wore clothes, after that he walked naked and accepted alms in the hollow of his hand. He vowed to neglect his body and with determination suffered all calamities arising from powers, people, or animals. He had attained the first three levels of knowledge from the senses and mind, knowledge from study, and knowledge from institution before marriage. At his initiation it is said that he attained the fourth level of knowledge that includes the psychological movements of all sentient beings. From then on, Mahavira became homeless. As he was leaving the garden, a Brahmin beggar, who had missed out during the last year of Mahavira’s almsgiving, asked him for alms. Since he had nothing, he gave him half of the garment on his shoulder. After thirteen months he gave up clothes altogether.

Mahavira resolved to follow the fivefold discipline: usually standing like a statue (kaostarga), generally maintaining silence, eating out of his hand as a dish, and not showing politeness to the householders. He practiced meditation and severe austerities. During the summer he meditated in the sun or walked through the fields and in winter he meditated naked in the open air. During the rainy season each year he stayed in one place. He walked quietly, carefully keeping his eyes on the ground to avoid stepping on an insects or worms. He stayed in deserted houses, crematoriums, gardens, or solitary places. He ate whatever little food he received from begging. If he saw any other beggar or an animal or a bird waiting for food, he would silently pass by to another house. He fasted for fifteen days at a time and sometimes up to a month.

Mahavira attracted people from all walks of life, rich and poor, kings and commoners, men and women, princes and priests, touchable and untouchables. Mahavira organized his followers into fourfold order of sadhus (monks) and sadhvis (nuns), shravakas (laymen) and shravikas (laywomen). This order is known as Jain Sangh. All those initiated had to take the five vows, which included the four vows of Parshva (non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, and non-possession) plus chastity. Mahavira revived the Jainism previously preached by his predecessors. He taught in detail the ethical code of conduct and implemented daily religious duties for his followers. He felt that such changes were essential for proper religious living.

At about the age of 72 (527 BC) Mahavira died having attained nirvana and his purified soul left his body to attain total liberation. He became a Siddha, a pure consciousness and a liberated soul. Mahavira left his body and attained nirvana, liberated and rid of all karma, never to return to this world again.

III. Tirtankaras

Jains believe in twenty-four Tirthankaras and that Mahavira was the last one. The “Jina” is a spiritual victor who has conquered the worldly passions like desire, hatred, anger, greed, and pride by one’s own personal efforts. Jina is a human being and not a supernatural being or an incarnation of God. All human beings have the potential to become a jina. Jains believe that the Tirthankaras have appeared during the prese4nt cycle of time which they call avasarpini.

The twenty four Tirthankaras are: 1. Rishaba; 2. Ajitanatha; 3. Sambhavanatha; 4. Abinannthana; 5. Sumatinatha; 6. Padamaprabhu; 7. Suparaswanatha; 8. Chandraji Prabhu; 9. Suvidhinathji; 10. Shitalnathji; 11. Shregansnath; 12. Vasupujya; 13. Vimalnath; 14. Ananthnath; 15. Dharanath; 16. Shantinath; 17. Kuntunath; 18. Arnathji; 19. Mallinath; 20. Muniswasthji; 21. Naminath; 22. Neminath; 23. Parswanath; 24. Mahavira.

The Tirthankaras taught that their followers need to understand the relationship between the living beings and non-living matter and how they are bound together by the karmas. All living beings or atmas are equal and immortal having innate qualities of pure knowledge, perception, complete bliss, and consciousness. Each atma is responsible for its own embodiment and reincarnations and can attain freedom from all its bondage only through its own efforts though it must rely on teachings of those who have already attained that freedom. Jains treat the Tirthankaras as their main objects of worship and as gods who have shown the way to salvation.

The4 fundamental system of belief for Jains is known as Tri-ratna or Three Jewels. They are: Right Faith, Right Knowledge and Right Conduct. These goals can be achieved through modest living and prescribed behavior such as ahimsa or non-violence and strict vegetarianism, performing various rituals and acts of devotion or puja. The worship of the images of Tirthankaras is common among the Jains.

 

 

IV. Scriptures of Jainism

Lord Mahavir's preachings were orally compiled into many texts (number of scriptures) by his disciples.  These scriptures are known as Jain Agam or Agam Sutras. The Agam Sutras teach great reverence for all forms of life, strict codes of vegetarianism, asceticism, compassion, nonviolence, and opposition to war.  The scriptures were not documented in any form but were memorized by ascetics and passed on by oral tradition to future generations of ascetics. These Sutras are divided into two major groups:

 

1. Ang Agam Sutras

Ang Agam Sutras contain direct preaching of Lord Mahavir. They were compiled by immediate disciples of Lord Mahavir (known as Ganadhars) immediately after Lord Mahavir's Nirvan (death). They consist of 12 texts. The twelfth text is called Drstiwad, which includes 14 Purvas.  No dispute exists among various Jain traditions with regards to the names and the contents of Ang Agam Sutras.

 

 

 

2. Angbahya Agam Sutras

Angbahya Sutras were compiled by Shrut Kevali monks who possessed the total knowledge of 12 Ang Ägams.  They were compiled within 160 years after Lord Mahavir’s Nirvan.  They provide further explanation of Ang Agams.

 

V. Sects of Jainism

 

1. Shvetambara Sect

The majority of Jains including monks and nuns in India belong to the Shvetambara (white-robed) sect. monks and nuns in this tradition wear three pieces of white clothing and also have a set of begging bowls and a rajoharana (small woolen whisk-broom) used to avoid harming insects. The Shvetambara are characterized by the wearing of a muhpatti (piece of cloth) over their mouths to avoid harming even the tiniest living beings in the air. The Shvetambara Jains are concentrated in Gujarat and Rajasthan.

 

2. Digambara Sect

Digambara (meaning “sky-clad) monks have no property, although they can carry a whisk-broom of peacock-feathers and a gourd for water to wash with. Digambara nuns wear a white sari. There are only a few hundred Digambara monks and nuns in India and the practical leadership of the community draws upon the work of lay scholars. Digambara or ‘sky-clad’ monks like Mahavira do not wear any clothes, but normally the do not walk like that outside their temples. The Digambara Jains are found mostly in Kerala.

 

VI. Teachings and Beliefs

 

1. God

Jainism is said to be an atheistic religion because it does not believe in God who created the world. Since Jainism regards this world as eternal, there is no need for any supernatural entity called God the creator, sustainer and destroyer of the world. Therefore there is no need for worshipping God. Hence, each soul in bondage is responsible for its own eternal destiny. Either he/she can work out his/her own destiny for liberation or sin further into deeper bondage. Alone he accumulates merit, alone he enjoys the various happiness of heaven, alone he destroys karma, and alone also he attains mokhsa.

 

2. World

According to Jainism, the world exists eternally and is real. It is finite in its space dimension but infinite in time and its modes. The world is the creation of natural law of decay and development and that the universe is eternal.

 

3. Human Being

The soul in human being is eternal as well as non-eternal. It is eternal with regard to its substance but non-eternal because of its modes. In its eternal state, the soul is without pain or sorrow but suffers because of its identification with body and its karmic matter. Hence man is pure spirit but is now in bondage because of his karma during his many previous births. Karma covers his knowledge, perception and ethical conduct. The soul is the maker and non-maker, and itself makes happiness and misery, is its own friend and its own foe, decides its own condition, good or evil, is its own river Vaitarani.

 

4. Karma

Karma and transmigration is a deeply rooted belief in Jainism. Karmas enslave a man/woman and man can be liberated and become pure spirit of knowledge and pure consciousness only by getting rid of them out from the embodied spirit. So, bondage is through karma and liberation from this bondage is through nirjara and other spiritual efforts like dhyana. Every person is the architect of one’s own fate and could attain salvation only with the help of purity, virtue and renunciation. The best life is that of renunciation. The matter does not end but changes its form because it consists of certain matter. According to him any body’s emancipation from sufferings did not depend on God but on one’s own karma.

 

5. Nirvana

Nirvana is a difficult process according to Jainism and that many souls will never succeed in attaining that status. They will continue to transmigrate from birth to birth. When the soul completely liberates itself, it becomes inactive throughout eternity and that is nirvana for Jainism. Jainism teaches that it is a slow process. When the soul gets rid of the cycle of birth and death it will attain salvation. Nirvana can be possible by following the doctrine of the Tri-ratnas, that is, right faith, right knowledge and right conduct. There should be unshakable faith in twenty-four Tirthankaras and complete knowledge of their teaching.

 

6. Ahimsa

Jainism believes in ahimsa and that all human and living beings should be treated sympathetically. None should be ill-treated either through words of deeds, knowingly or unknowingly. Some of the followers of Jainism took this philosophy of ahimsa to be extreme that they began to keep a cloth on their mouth. They believed that even plants and vegetables have life and as such no injury should be caused to anyone. In Jainism this concept is taken in a wider context. According to him whoever ill-treats any living being commits himsa. It is because of this extreme view that Jains prefer to walk bare foot and cover their mouth with a piece of cloth. Ahimsa or non-violence is the supreme ethical principle in Jainism. Monks strained water before drinking and placed a piece of cloth mask over their mouths to prevent the taking or inhaling of any insect. Monks and nuns swept the ground before they walked so that could avoid stamping on any insects or beings. Jainism teaches that Jains should not engage in agriculture because at the time of ploughing and harvesting great harm may be caused to plant life and other living beings.

VII. The Tri-Ratnas of Jainism

Mahavir talked about three ratnas, they are right knowledge, right faith and right conduct.

1. Right knowledge

A person must understand his or her existence and the surroundings. You must know who you are and what the world is. These are the two aspects of knowing: Jiva and Ajiva. Jiva means living soul and Ajiva means non living existence.

2. Right faith

Right faith always depends on right knowledge of Jiva and Ajiva. Your faith must go with your understanding and knowledge. Right knowledge leads us to right faith.

3. Right conduct

The reflection of right knowledge and right faith is right conduct. The right conduct is the reflection of right knowledge and right faith. Your right conduct is parameter of right knowledge and right faith.

VIII. Some Important Theories of Jainism

1. Anekantavada

The literal meaning of it is manyness. There is one object but there are different ideas. You cannot limit your idea, object with single idea because they have many dimensions (there may be truth outside of Jainism).

2. Syadvada

The literal meaning of it is may or may not or in another word is or is not. What is true from one point of view is open to question from another point of view. Absolute truth cannot be grasped from any particular viewpoint alone because absolute truth is the sum total of individual truth of each different viewpoint.

IX. Ethical Teachings of Jainism

The supreme ideal of the Jain religion is non-violence (Ahimsa), equal kindness, and reverence for all forms of life in thoughts, words and actions. Above all it is a religion of love and compassion towards all living beings. In a positive sense ahimsa means caring for and sharing with all living beings and tending, protecting and serving them. It ensures universal friendliness (maitri), universal forgiveness (kshama) and universal fearlessness (abhaya). The goal for a jaina is release from the cycle of death and rebirth. Rebirth is caused by the accumulation of karma, all Jain ethics aims at purging karma that has been accumulated, and ceasing to accumulate new karma. Like Buddhists and Hindus, Jains believe that good karma leads to better circumstances in the next life and vice versa. All karma both good and bad leads to rebirth. No karma can help a person to achieve liberation from rebirth. Karma comes in different kinds. It comes from four sources: (1) attachment to worldly things, (2) the passions, such as anger, greed, fear, pride, etc., (3) sensual enjoyment, and (4) ignorance or false belief. The first three types of karma have ethical bearing. Ignorance is cured by knowledge not by moral action.

The Five Ethical Principles of Jainism

v  Ahimsa (non-violence)

v  Satya (pursuit of truth)

v  Asteya  (non-stealing and honesty)

v  Aparigraha (non-possession and non-attachment)

v  Brahmacharya (celibacy)

These are also called the five Vratas (vows) and have to be realized by mind, speech and body. A distinction is drawn between these ethics or Vratas for the ascetic (saints, monks & nuns) and for the laymen. The saints have to practice the Vratas rigorously. But the laymen have to and can practice with lesser degree according to their worldly life.

X. Festivals of Jainism

Jains celebrate their festivals by fasting, worshipping, reciting sacred texts, holding religious discourses, giving alms, taking certain vows and other such acts of piety. Annual celebrations are observed based on the lunar calendar. Many religious practices of the Jains are similar to those of the Hindus. Jains celebrate Diwali, Holi, the birthday of Ganesha, Mahavira Jayanti, birthday of Lord Mahavira is however their most important festival.

1. Mahavira Jayanti

The birthday of Lord Mahavira, the last Tirthankara usually celebrated in the month of April. On Mahavira Jayanti, Jaina temples are decorated with flags. In the morning the idol of Mahavira is given a ceremonial bath called the ‘abhishek’ and placed in a cradle and carried in a procession around the neighborhood. The devotees offer milk, rice, fruit, incense, lamps and water to the Tirthankara. Members of the community participate in the procession. The paths of virtue are taught to the devotees. People meditate and offer prayers. Donations are collected to save the cows from slaughter. Pilgrims from all parts of the country visit the ancient Jain Temples at Girnar and Palitana in Gujarat on this day.

2. Paryushan (Swetambar) & Das Lakshan (Digambar)

During this festival prayer, meditation, fasting, penance, introspection, confession, and forgiveness are done. Usually it is celebrated in the month of august or September. This lasts about eight or ten days in a year. Paryushan is the most prominent festival lasting for ten days during the monsoon season.

            It is the time for the householders to have an annual renewal of their faith by listening to the statement of the Dharma and by meditation and Vratas (self-control). The Digambaras begin their ten day period from Paryushana.  During this time the dashalakshana vrata is undertaken. The Swetambaras begin their eight day festival celebration that ends with bhadrapada Shukla panchami. The last day is called Samvatsari, short for Samvatsari Pratikramana.

3. Diwali

Diwali is celebrated to commemorate the nirvana of Lord Mahavira on the amavasya of the Kartika month.