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"Jain" and "Jaina" redirect here. For other uses, see Jain (disambiguation) and Jaina (disambiguation).
Jainism, traditionally known as Jain Dharma (जैन धर्म), is one of the oldest religions in the world. It is a religion and philosophy originating in ancient India. The Jains follow the teachings of the 24 Jinas (conquerors) who are also known as Tirthankars. The 24th Tirthankar, Lord Mahavira lived in ca. 6th century BC. One of the main characteristics of Jain belief is the emphasis on the immediate consequences of one\'s psychic behavior.Tobias, Michael (1991). Life Force. The World of Jainism. Berkeley, California: Asian Humanities Press, 6-7, 15.
Jains are a small but influential religious minority with at least 8.2 million followers in modern India 2001 India Census http://www.censusindia.net/religiondata/index.html and more in growing immigrant communities in the United States, Western Europe, the Far East and elsewhere. Jains continue to sustain the ancient Shraman (श्रमण) or ascetic tradition.
Jains have significantly influenced the religious, ethical, political and economic spheres in India for over two millennia. Jainism stresses spiritual independence and equality of all life with particular emphasis on non-violence. Self-control (व्रत, vratae) is vital for attaining omniscience (Kevala Jnana) and eventually moksha, or realization of the soul\'s true nature.
A Jain is a follower of the Jina, or spiritual victor. Per ancient and contemporary usage, as well as dictionary definitions, a follower of Jain Dharma, or Jainism, is called a Jain. The term Jainist which is found on some Internet websites is not used in either literature or common parlance. The main Jain center is The Jain Vishwa Bharti also known as JVB.
Jains have an ancient tradition of scholarship. The Jain community is a very literate religious community in India,Census of India 2001 and the Jain libraries are India\'s oldest.The Jain Knowledge Warehouses: Traditional Libraries in India, John E. Cort, Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 115, No. 1 (Jan. - Mar., 1995), pp. 77–87
According to Jains history of the earth is never ending and started far before most historians believed it to do so and that time will never end but go on till every soul reaches Moksha.
Parshva was the twenty-third Tirthankara (ford maker) in Hinduism and is the earliest Jain leader that can be reliably dated.Jarl Charpentier: The History of the Jains, in: The Cambridge History of India, vol. 1, Cambridge 1922, p. 153; A.M. Ghatage: Jainism, in: The Age of Imperial Unity, ed. R.C. Majumdar/A.D. Pusalkar, Bombay 1951, p. 411-412; Shantaram Bhalchandra Deo: History of Jaina Monachism, Poona 1956, p. 59-60.. According to scholars he probably flourished in 9th Century BCE "Parshvanatha". Encyclopædia Britannica Encyclopædia Britannica Online. (2007). Bowker, John (2000). "Parsva". The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. .
Kalinga (Modern Orissa) was home to many Jains in the past. Rushabh, the first Tirthankar, was revered and worshipped in the ancient city Pithunda, which was destroyed by Mahapadma Nanda when he conquered Kalinga and brought the statue of Rishabhanatha to his capital in Magadh. Rishabhanatha is revered as the \'Kalinga Jina\'. Ashoka\'s invasion and his Buddhist policy also subjugated Jains greatly in Kalinga. However, in the 1st century BC Emperor Kharvela conquered Magadha and brought Rushabhnath\'s statue back and installed it in Udaygiri, near his capital, Shishupalgarh. The Khandagiri and Udaygiri caves near Bhubaneswar are the only stone monuments dedicated to Jainism surviving in Orissa. Many of the earlier buildings were made of wood, and were destroyed.
Deciphering of the Brahmi script, India\'s oldest script, believed to have been created by the first Tirthankara Rishabhanatha, by James Prinsep in 1788 enabled the reading of ancient inscriptions in India and established the antiquity of Jainism. Discovery of Jain manuscripts, a process that continues today, has added significantly to retracing the history of Jainism. Jain archaeological findings are often from Maurya, Sunga, Kishan, Gupta, Kalachuries, Rashtrakut, Chalukya, Chandel and Rajput and later periods. Several western and Indian scholars have contributed to the reconstruction of Jain history. They include western historians like Bühler, Jacobi, and Indian scholars like Iravatham Mahadevan, who has worked on Tamil Brahmi inscriptions. One who is a Buddhist can still profess Jain Beliefs.
Jainism has been a major cultural, philosophical, social and political force since the dawn of civilization in Asia, and its ancient influence has been
The pervasive influence of Jain culture and philosophy in ancient Bihar possibly gave rise to Buddhism. The Buddhists have always maintained that during the time of Buddha and Mahavira, Jainism was already an ancient and deeply entrenched faith and culture in the region. For a discussion about the connections between Buddhism and Jainism see Buddhism and Jainism. Over several thousand years, Jain influence on Hindu philosophy and religion has been considerable, while Hindu influence on Jain rituals may be observed in certain Jain sects.
For instance, the very concept of Puja is Jain. The Vedic Religion prescribed yajnas and havanas for pleasing god. Puja is a specifically Jain concept, arising from the Tamil words, "pu" (flower) and "ja" (offering). Please refer to "Jaya Gommatesh" for more details on this topic. {Patil, Bal. "Jaya Gommatesha". Foreword by Prof. Dr. Colette Caillat. Jainism is rapidly expanding in the West as non-Indians follow this religion. With 10 to 12 million followers,Basic Faith Group Information Jainism is among the smallest of the major world religions, but in India its influence is much more than these numbers would suggest. Jains live throughout India; Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Gujarat have the largest Jain population among Indian states. Karnataka, Bundelkhand and Madhya Pradesh have relatively large Jain populations. There is a large following in Punjab, especially in Ludhiana and Patiala, and there were many Jains in Lahore (Punjab\'s historic capital) and other cities before the Partition of 1947, after which many fled to India. There are many Jain communities in different parts of India and around the world. They may speak local languages or follow different rituals but essentially follow the same principles.
Outside India, the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda) have large Jain communities today. Jainism is presently a strong faith in the United States and several Jain temples have been built there. American Jainism accommodates all the sects. Smaller Jain communities exist in Nepal, South Africa, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Fiji, and Suriname. In Belgium the very successful Indian diamond community, almost all of which are Jain are also establishing a temple to strengthen Jain values in and across Western Europe.
It is generally believed that the Jain sangha divided into two major sects, Digambar and Svetambar, about 200 years after Mahāvīra\'s nirvana. Some historians believe there was no clear division until the 5th century. The best available information indicates that the chief Jain monk, Acharya Bhadrabahu, foresaw famine and led about 12,000 Digambar followers to southern India. Twelve years later, they returned to find the Shvetambar sect and in 453, the Valabhi council edited and compiled traditional Shvetambar scriptures. Differences between the two sects are minor and relatively obscure.
In Sanskrit, ambar refers to a covering like a garment. \'Dig\', an older form of \'disha\', refers to the cardinal directions. Digambar therefore means those whose garment is only the four directions, or "sky-clad". \'Svet\' means white and Svetambars are those who wear white coverings.
Svetambar Jain monks wear white seamless clothes for practical reasons and believe there is nothing in Jain scripture that condemns wearing clothes. Sadhvis (nuns) of both sects wear white. These differing views arise from different interpretations of the same holy books. There are minor differences in the enumeration and validity of each sect\'s literature.
Excavations at Mathura revealed many Jain statues from the Kushana period. Tirthankaras, represented without clothes and monks, with cloth wrapped around the left arm, are identified as \'ardhaphalaka\' and mentioned in some texts. The Yapaniya sect, believed to have originated from the Ardhaphalaka, follows Digambara nudity, along with several Shvetambara beliefs.
Svetambaras are further divided into sub-sects, such as Sthanakavasi, Terapanthi and Deravasi. Some are murtipujak ( revering statues) while non-murtipujak Jains refuse statues or images. Most simply call themselves Jains and follow general traditions rather than specific sectarian practices. In 1974, a committee with representatives from every sect compiled a new text called the Samana Suttam.
The statue of Gomateshwara of Digambar tradition in Shravanabelagola, Karnataka is the tallest monolith of its kind in the world
Jains does not have a single founder and the truth is said to have been revealed at different times by a Tirthankara (a teacher who \'makes a ford\' i.e., shows the way). A tirthankar is considered omniscient, a role model, not a god. There have been 24 tirthankars in what the Jains call the \'present age\'. Historical records about only the last two Tirthankars remain: Parshvanath and Mahavir (the 23rd and 24th).
The 24 tirthankaras in chronological order are - Adinath (or Rishabhnath), Ajitanath, Sambhavanath, Abhinandananath, Sumatinath, Padmaprabh, Suparshvanath, Chandraprabhu, Pushpadantanath (or Suvidhinath), Sheetalanath, Shreyansanath, Vasupujya, Vimalanath, Anantanath, Dharmanath, Shantinath, Kunthunath, Aranath, Mallinath, Munisuvratanath, Neminath, Arishthanemi, Parshvanath and Mahavir (or Vardhamana).
Jains believe that every human is responsible for his/her actions and all living beings have an eternal soul, jīva. Jains believe all souls are equal because they all possess the potential of being liberated and attaining Moksha. Tirthankaras are role models only because they have attained Moksha. Jains insist that we live, think and act respectfully and honor the spiritual nature of all life. Jains view God as the unchanging traits of the pure soul of each living being, chiefly described as Infinite Knowledge, Perception, Consciousness, and Happiness (Ananta Jnāna, Ananta Darshana, Ananta Cāritra, and Ananta Sukha). Jains do not believe in an omnipotent supreme being, creator or manager (kartā), but rather in an eternal universe governed by natural laws.
Jains hold that this temporal world is full of miseries and sorrow and hence in order to attain lasting bliss one must transcend the cycle of transmigration. Otherwise, one will remain eternally caught up in the never-ending cycle of transmigration. The only way to break out of this cycle is to practice detachment through rational perception, rational knowledge and rational conduct.
Jain scriptures were written over a long period of time, but the most cited is the Tattvartha Sutra, or Book of Reality written by the monk-scholar, Umasvati (aka Umāsvāmi) almost 1800 years ago. The primary figures are Tirthankaras. There are two main sects called Digambar and Svetambar, and both believe in ahimsa (or ahinsā), asceticism, karma, sanskār, and jiva.
Differences between the two main sects are mainly conduct related. Doctrinally, Jainism is uniform with great emphasis placed on rational perception, rational knowledge and rational conduct. {"samyagdarśanajñānacāritrāṇimokṣamārgaḥ", Tattvārthasūtra, 1.1}
Compassion for all life, human and non-human, is central to Jainism. Human life is valued as a unique, rare opportunity to reach enlightenment. To kill any person, no matter what crime they committed, is considered unimaginably abhorrent. It is the only religion that requires monks and laity, from all its sects and traditions, to be vegetarian. Some Indian regions have been strongly influenced by Jains and often the majority of the local non-Jain population has also become vegetarian.
History suggests that various strains of Hinduism became vegetarian due to strong Jain influencesSouth India Handbook: The Travel Guide By Robert Bradnock, 2000 Footprint Travel Guides, p. 543, Vegetarianism: A History By Colin Spencer, 2002 Thunder\'s Mouth Press, p. 342. Jains run animal shelters all over India. For example, Delhi has a bird hospital run by Jains. Every city and town in Bundelkhand has animal shelters run by Jains where all manner of animals are sheltered, even though the shelter is generally known as a Gaushala.
Jainism\'s stance on nonviolence goes far beyond vegetarianism. Jains refuse food obtained with unnecessary cruelty. Many practice a lifestyle similar to Veganism due to the violence of modern dairy farms, and others exclude root vegetables from their diets in order to preserve the lives of the plants from which they eat.Viren, Jain. RE Today. Retrieved on 2007-06-14. Potatoes, garlic and onions in particular are avoided by Jains.At the Root of Root Vegetables. Anekant Education Foundation. Retrieved on 2007-06-14. Devout Jains do not eat, drink, or travel after sunset and prefer to drink water that is first boiled and then cooled to room temperature[citation needed]. Many Jains abstain from eating green vegetables and root vegetables one day each week. The particular day is determined by the lunar calendar and is Ashtami (eighth day of the lunar month) and New Moon and followed by the second Ashtami and Full Moon night.
Anekantavada, a foundation of Jain philosophy, literally means "The Multiplicity of Reality", or equivalently, "Non-one-endedness". Anekantavada consists of tools for overcoming inherent biases in any one perspective on any topic or in reality in general. Another tool is The Doctrine of Postulation, Syādvāda. Anekantavada is defined as a multiplicity of viewpoints, for it stresses looking at things from others\' perspectives.
Jains are usually very welcoming and friendly toward other faiths and often help with interfaith functions. Several non-Jain temples in India are administered by Jains. A palpable presence in Indian culture, Jains have contributed to Indian philosophy, art, architecture, science, and to Mohandas Gandhi\'s politics, which led to the mainly non-violent movement for Indian independence.[1]
According to Jain beliefs, the universe was never created, nor will it ever cease to exist. Time is divided into Utsarpinis (Progressive Time Cycle) and Avsarpinis (Regressive Time Cycle). An Utsarpini and a Avsarpini constitute one Time Cycle (Kalchakra). Every Utsarpini and Avsarpini is divided into six unequal periods known as Aras. During the Utsarpini half cycle, humanity develops from its worst to its best: ethics, progress, happiness, strength, health, and religion each start the cycle at their worst, before eventually completing the cycle at their best and starting the process again. During the Avsarpini half-cycle, these notions deteriorate from the best to the worst. Jains believe we are currently in the fifth Ara of the Avsarpini phase, with approximately 19,000 years until the next Ara. After this Avsarpini phase, the Utsarpini phase will begin, continuing the infinite repetition of the Kalchakra.
Jains also believe that at the upswing of each time cycle, people will lose religion again. All things people want will be given by wish-granting trees (Kalpavrksa), and people will be born in sets of twins (Yugalika) with one boy and one girl who stay together all their lives. This can be seen as a symbol of an integrated human with male and female characteristics balanced.
Jain philosophy is based upon eternal, universal truths, according to its followers. During the first and last two Aras, these truths lapse among humanity and then reappear through the teachings of enlightened humans, those who have reached enlightenment or total knowledge (Kevala Jnana), during the third and fourth Aras. Traditionally, in our universe and in our time, Lord Rishabha (ऋषभ) is regarded as the first to realize the truth. Lord Vardhamana (Mahavira, महावीर) was the last Tirthankara to attain enlightenment (599-527 BCE), who was himself preceded by twenty-three other Tirthankaras, thus making a total of twenty-four Tirthankaras.
It is important to note that the above description stands true "in our universe and in our time" for Jains believe there have been infinite sets of 24 Tirthankaras, one for each half of the time cycle, and this will continue in the future. Hence, Jainism does not trace its origins to Rishabh Deva, the first, or Mahavira, the twenty-fourth, Tirthankara.
According to Jainism, the Universe consists of Infinite amount of Jiva\'(life force or souls), and the design is similar to a form of a man standing with his arms bent while resting his hands at his waist. The narrow waist part comprises various \'Kshetras\' which act as place of \'vicharan\' (roaming) for humans, animals and plants. Currently we are in the Bharat Kshetra of \'Jambu Dweep\' (dweep meaning Island) .
The Deva\' Loka (Heavens) are situated at the symbolic chest part of the Creation, where all the Devas (demi gods) reside. Similarly beneath the waist part are the Narka Loka (Hell). There are such Seven Narka Lokas, each for a varying degree suffering a jiva\' has to go through to face the consequences of its papa\' karma (sins). From the first to the seventh Narka, the degree of suffering increases and the amount of Light reaching into it decreases (no light at all in the seventh Narka).
The sidhha kshetra or moksha is situated at the symbolic forehead of the creation, where all the jivas having attained nirvana reside in a state of complete peace and eternal happiness. Outside the symbolic figure of this creation nothing but aloka or akaasha (sky) exists.
| 24 Tirthankars of Jainism |
|---|
| Lord Rishabha • Ajitnath • Sambhavanath • Abhinandannath • Sumatinath • Padmaprabha • Suparshvanath • Chandraprabha • Pushpadanta • Sheetalnath • Shreyansanath • Vasupujya • Vimalnath • Anantnath • Dharmanath • Shantinath • Kunthunath • Aranath • Mallinath • Munisuvrata • Naminatha • Neminatha • Parshva • Mahavira |
The Jain religion places great emphasis on Karma. Essentially, it means that all jivas reap what they sow. A happy or miserable existence is influenced by actions in previous births. These results may not occur in the same life, and what we sow is not limited to physical actions. Physical, verbal, and mental activities affect future situations. Karma has long been an essential component of Jainism, and other Indian religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism and Sikhism. It is believed generally that an omniscient Tirthankar can foresee all things, long before science.
The backbone of the Jain philosophy are the nine Tattvas (because sometimes these two are added to the seven: merit (punya) and demerit (papa)) . Without knowing them, one cannot progress towards liberation. They are:
A simple example: A man rides a wooden boat to reach the other side of the river. The man is Jiva, the boat is ajiva. Now the boat has a leak and water flows in. That incoming of water is Asrava and accumulating there is Bandha. When this man tries to save the boat by blocking the hole, that blockage is Samvara and throwing the water outside is Nirjara. Moksha is when this man crosses the river and reaches his destination.
The hand with a wheel on the palm symbolizes the Jain Vow of Ahimsa, meaning non-violence. The word in the middle is "Ahimsa." The wheel represents the dharmacakra, to halt the cycle of reincarnation through relentless pursuit of truth.
Jain monks and nuns practice strict asceticism and strive to make their current birth their last, thus ending their cycle of transmigration. The laity, who pursue less rigorous practices, strive to attain rational perception and to do as much good as possible in order to get closer to the goal of attaining freedom from the cycle of transmigration. Following strict ethics, the laity usually choose professions that revere and protect life and totally avoid violent livelihoods.
Jains practice Samayika, which is a Sanskrit word meaning equanimity and derived from samaya (the soul). The goal of Samayika is to attain equanimity. Samayika is begun by achieving a balance in time. If this current moment is defined as a moving line between the past and the future, Samayika happens by being fully aware, alert and conscious in that moving time line when one experiences Atma, one\'s true nature, common to all life forms. Samayika is especially significant during Paryushana, a special period during the monsoon, and is practiced during the ritual known as Samvatsari Pratikramana.
Jains believe that Devas (demi-gods or celestial beings) cannot help jiva to obtain liberation, which must be achieved by individuals through their own efforts. In fact, Devas themselves cannot achieve liberation until they reincarnate as humans and undertake the difficult act of removing karma. Their efforts to attain the exalted state of Siddha, the permanent liberation of jiva from all involvement in worldly existence, must be their own.
The strict Jain ethical code for both laity and monks/nuns is:
For laypersons, \'brahmacharya\' means confining sexual experiences to marriage. For monks/nuns, it means complete celibacy.
Nonviolence includes the concepts of vegetarianism. Jains are expected to be non-violent in thought, word, and deed, both toward humans and toward all other living beings, including their own selves. Jain monks and nuns walk barefoot and sweep the ground in front of them to avoid killing any insects or other tiny beings. Even though all life is considered sacred by the Jains, human life is deemed the highest form of life. For this reason, it is considered vital never to harm or upset any person.
While performing holy deeds, Svetambara Jains wear cloths, muhapatti, over their mouths and noses to avoid saliva falling on texts or revered images. Some wear the muhapatti to avoid accidentally inhaling germs. Many healthy concepts are entwined within the Jain religion. For example, Jains do not drink unboiled water because it contains billions of micro-organisms. In ancient times, a person might get ill by drinking unboiled water, which would prevent one from remaining in equanimity, as illness may precede or engender intolerance.
True spirituality, according to enlightened Jains, starts when a follower attains Samyak darshana, or true perception. Samyak drashti souls are on the correct path to moksha,striving to remain in the nature of the soul. This is characterized by being in the state of knowing and observing only,the worldly affairs,without raag(attachment) and dwesh(being repelled); being in a state of pure knowledge and bliss. Attachment to worldly life collects new karmas, and traps one in a cycle of birth, death, and suffering. The worldly life is recognized by its dualistic nature (for example, the dualities of love and hate, suffering and pleasure, etc.), for the perception of one state cannot exist without the contrasting perception of the other.
Jain Dharma shares some beliefs with Hinduism. Both revere the same Devas and Devis (heavenly beings), and the theory of Karma and reincarnation. However, the Jain version of the Ramayana and Mahabharata is different from Hindu beliefs, for example. Generally, Hindus believe that Rama was a reincarnation of God, whereas Jains believe he attained moksha (liberation) because they do not believe in God the creator. (Note: some Hindus, such as Yogis, accept many aspects of Jain Dharma.)
Along with the Five Vows, Jains avoid harboring ill will toward others and practice forgiveness. They believe that atma (soul) can lead one to becoming Parmatma (liberated soul) and this must come from one\'s inner self. Jains refrain from all violence (Ahimsa) and recommend that sinful activities should be eradicated.
Mahatma Gandhi was deeply influenced (particularly through the guidance of Shrimad Rajchandra) by Jain tenets such as peaceful, protective living and honesty, and made them an integral part of his own philosophy.http://hirr.hartsem.edu/ency/jainism.htm]. Jainism has a distinct idea underlying Tirthankar worship. The physical form is not worshiped, but the Gunas (virtues, qualities) which are praised. Tirthankars are only role-models, and sects such as the Sthanakavasi stringently reject the worship of statues.
Fasting is common among Jains and a part of Jain festivals. Most Jains fast at special times, during festivals, and on holy days. Paryushan is the most prominent festival, lasting eight days in Svetambara Jain tradition and ten days in Digambar Jain tradition during the monsoon. The monsoon is a time of fasting. However, a Jain may fast at any time, especially if he or she feels some error has been committed. Variations in fasts encourage Jains to do whatever they can to maintain self control
Some Jains revere a special practice, where a person who is aware that he or she may die soon, and feels he has completed all his duties, ceases to eat or drink until death. This form of dying is called santhara. It is considered to be extremely spiritual and creditable. This has recently led to a controversy in India, where in Rajasthan, a lawyer petitioned the High Court of Rajasthan to declare Sallekhana illegal. Jains see Sallekhana as spiritual detachment. It is a declaration that a person has finished with living and this world and now chooses to leave.
Every day most Jains bow and say their universal prayer, the Namokara Mantra, aka the Navkar Mantra. Jains have built temples, or Basadi or Derasar, where images of Tirthankars are worshiped. Jain rituals may be elaborate because symbolic objects are offered and Tirthankaras praised in song. But some Jain sects refuse to enter temples or worship images. All Jains accept that images of Tirthankaras are merely symbolic reminders of the path that they have to take, in order to attain moksha. Jains are clear that the Jinas reside in moksha and are completely detached from the world.
Jain rituals include:
The fylfot (swastika) is among the holiest of Jain symbols. Worshippers use rice grains to create a fylfot around the temple altar.
The holiest symbol is a simple swastika. Another important symbol incorporates a wheel on the palm of a hand, symbolizing ahimsa.Other major Jain symbols include:
A Jain temple in Kochi, Kerala, India.
While Jains represent less than 1% of the Indian population, their contributions to culture and society in India are considerable.
Jains have wielded great influence on the culture and language of Karnataka and Southern India. Jainism has influenced Gujarat most significantly. The earliest known Gujarati text, Bharat-Bahubali Ras, was written by a Jain monk. Some of the most important people in Gujarat\'s Jain history were Acharya Hemacandra Suri and his pupil, the Calukya ruler Kumarapala.
Jains are both among the wealthiest of Indians and the most philanthropic. They run numerous schools, colleges and hospitals and are some of the most important patrons of the Somapuras, the traditional temple architects in Gujarat. Jains have greatly influenced Gujarati cuisine. Gujarat is predominantly vegetarian (as is Jainism; see Jain vegetarianism), and its food has a mild aroma as onions and garlic are omitted.
Jains encourage their monks to do research and obtain higher education. Jain monks and nuns, particularly in Rajasthan, have published numerous research monographs. This is unique among Indian religious groups and parallels Christian clergy. The 2001 census states that Jains are India\'s most literate community and that India\'s oldest libraries at Patan and Jaisalmer are preserved by Jain institutions.
Jains have contributed to India\'s classical and popular literature. For example, almost all early Kannada literature and Tamil literature was authored by Jains.
The oldest Jain literature is in Shauraseni and Ardha-Magadhi Prakrit (Agamas, Agama-Tulya, Siddhanta texts, etc). Many classical texts are in Sanskrit (Tatvartha Sutra, Puranas, Kosh, Sravakacara, mathematics, Nighantus etc). "Abhidhana Rajendra Kosha" written by Acharya Rajendrasuri, is only one available Jain encyclopedia or Jain dictionary to understand the Jain Prakrit, Sanskrit, and Ardha-Magadhi and other Jain languages, words, their use and references with in oldest Jain literature. Later Jain literature was written in Apabhramsha (Kahas, rasas, and grammars), Hindi (Chhahadhala, Mokshamarga Prakashaka, and others), Tamil (Jivakacintamani, Kural, and others), and Kannada (Vaddaradhane and various other texts). Jain versions of Ramayana and Mahabharata are found in Sanskrit, Prakrit, Apabhramsha and Kannada.
In India there are thousands of Jain Monks, of which categories have been defined like Acarya, Upadhyaya and Muni. Trainee ascetics are known as Ailaka and Ksullaka in the Digambar tradition.
There are two categories of ascetics in Jainism.
Sadhu (monk) and Sadhvi (nun) They practice the five Mahavratas, three Guptis and five Samitis:
5 Mahavratas
अहिंसा Ahimsa: Non-violence in thought, word and deed
सत्य Satya: Truth which is (hita) beneficial, (mita) succinct and (priya) pleasing
अचौर्य Acaurya: Not accepting anything that has not been given to them by the owner
ब्रह्मचर्य Brahmacarya: Absolute purity of mind and body
अपरिग्रह Aparigraha: Non-attachment to non-self objects
3 Guptis
मनगुप्ती Managupti: Control of the mind
वचनगुप्ती Vacanagupti: Control of speech
कायगुप्ती Kayagupti: Control of body
5 Samitis
ईर्या समिति Irya Samiti: Carefulness while walking
भाषा समिति Bhasha Samiti: Carefulness while communicating
एषणा समिति Eshana Samiti: Carefulness while eating
आदान निक्षेपण समिति Adana Nikshepana Samiti: Carefulness while handling their fly-whisks, water gourds, etc.
प्रतिष्ठापना समिति Pratishthapana Samiti: Carefulness while disposing of bodily waste matter
________
Male Digambara monks do not wear any clothes. They are completely nude as they practise non-attachment to the body and hence, wear no clothes.
Shvetambara monks and nuns all wear white clothes.
Shvetambaras believe that monks and nuns may wear simply un-stitched white clothes as long as they are not attached to them. Whereas Digambaras believe the male Digambara ascetics cannot wear any clothes since clothes signify attachment to a non-self object (the body).
Jain monks and nuns travel on foot. They do not use any mechanical means of transport.
South Asia has a rich history of diverse philosophies. Connections among these are discussed at:
Jainism, while having no creator God, is not atheistic. The notion of god is replaced by the notion of "the own nature of things" (vastu-svs-bhavah-dharmah).
Jains are not a part of the Vedic Religion (Hinduism).J. L. Jaini, (1916) Jaina Law, Bhadrabahu Samhita, (Text with translation ) Arrah, Central jaina publishing House) " As to Jainas being Hindu dissenters, and, therefore governable by Hindu law, we are not told this date of secession [...] Jainism certainly has a longer history than is consistent with its being a creed of dissenters from Hinduism." P.12-13 P.S. Jaini, (1979), The Jaina Path to Purification, Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, p. 169 "Jainas themselves have no memory of a time when they fell within the Vedic fold. Any theory that attempts to link the two traditions, moreover fails to appreciate rather distinctive and very non-vedic character of Jaina cosmology, soul theory, karmic doctrine and atheism" Y. Masih (2000) In : A Comparative Study of Religions, Motilal Banarsidass Publ : Delhi, ISBN 8120808150 “There is no evidence to show that Jainism and Buddhism ever subscribed to vedic sacrifices, vedic deities or caste. They are parallel or native religions of India and have contributed to much to the growth of even classical Hinduism of the present times.” Page 18 Ancient India had two philosophical streams of thought: The Shramana philosophical schools, represented by Jainism and Buddhism; and the Brahmana/Vedic/Puranic schools represented by Vedanta, Vaishnava and other movements. Both streams are subset of the Dharmic family of faith and have existed side by side for many thousands of years, influencing each other.Harry Oldmeadow (2007) Light from the East: Eastern Wisdom for the Modern West, World Wisdom, Inc ISBN 1933316225 "What is historically known is that there was a tradition along with vedic Hinduism known as sramana dharma. Essentially, the sramana tradition included it its fold, the Jain and Buddhist traditions, which disagreed with the eternality of the Vedas, the needs for ritual sacrifices and the supremacy of the Brahmins". Page 141
The Hindu scholar, Lokmanya Tilak credited Jainism with influencing Hinduism and thus leading to the cessation of animal sacrifice in Vedic rituals. Bal Gangadhar Tilak has described Jainism as the originator of Ahimsa and wrote in a letter printed in Bombay Samachar, Mumbai:10 Dec, 1904: "In ancient times, innumerable animals were butchered in sacrifices. Evidence in support of this is found in various poetic compositions such as the Meghaduta. But the credit for the disappearance of this terrible massacre from the Brahminical religion goes to Jainism."
Swami Vivekananda Dulichand Jain (1998) Thus Spake Lord Mahavir, Sri Ramakrishna Math Chennai, ISBN 81-7120-825-8 Page 15 also credited Jainsim as influencing force behind the Indian culture.
"What could have saved Indian society from the ponderous burden of omnifarious ritualistic ceremonialism, with its animal and other sacrifices, which all but crushed the very life of it, except the Jain revolution which took its strong stand exclusively on chaste morals and philosophical truths?...
Jains were the first great ascetics, and they did some great work. "Don\'t injure any and do good to all that you can and that is all the morality and ethics, and that is all the work there is, and the rest is all nonsense... Throw it away." And then they went to work and elaboratted this one principle all through, and it is a most wonderful ideal: how all that we call ethics they simply bring out from one great principle of non-injury and doing good."
Even though Jainism is of Indian origin, it shared some principles with the Hellenic tradition, specially with Stoic and Pythagorean philosophies of Europe.
Jain literature exists in Prakrit, Sanskrit, Apabhramsha, Rajasthani, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Kutchi, Kannada, Tulu, Telugu, Tamil, Dhundhari (Old Marwari), English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Russian.
In 2005, the Supreme Court of India declined to issue a writ of Mandamus towards granting Jains the status of a religious minority throughout India. The Court noted that Jains have been declared a minority in 5 states already, and left it to the rest of the States to decide on the minority status of Jain religion.[4]
In 2006, the Supreme Court opined that "Jain Religion is indisputably not a part of the Hindu Religion". (para 25, Committee of Management Kanya Junior High School Bal Vidya Mandir, Etah, U.P. v. Sachiv, U.P. Basic Shiksha Parishad, Allahabad, U.P. and Ors., Per Dalveer Bhandari J., Civil Appeal No. 9595 of 2003, decided On: 21.08.2006, Supreme Court of India) [2]
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