Chapter 9 - Pocket Guide to World Religions

(Originally written February 18, 2007 in Book 9)

Pocket Guide to World Religions
Win Corduan

Chapter Nine: Jainism

Name

Jainism is derived from the Sanskrit word jina. Tina means "conquerer". A Jain is a "follower of the conquerer". The conquerer refers to the founder of the religion, Mahavira.

To the outsider, Jainism appears similar to Hinduism.

Numbers and Distribution

There are 4 million Jains in the world today.

The vast majority live in India, but Kenya has a number of Jains because of Indian immigration.

There is an active Jain temple in Chicago.

Symbols

Jainism has many symbols but for a millennia it had no universal symbol.

In 1975, a global convention of Jains met to observe the 2500th anniversary of Mahavira's death and devised a single symbol. It combined five elements:

1. The outside is a person's torso, the shape Jains imagine the universe exists in.
2) The arc represents the head of the human shape, the dot represents those who have attained liberation.
3) The three dots stand for the three Jain principles: faith, right knowledge and right conduct
4) The swastika has many meanings: entanglement in the cycle of reincarnations, the four kinds of beings in need of salvation: gods, humans, animals and demons
5) the hand indicates a blessing and a warning. Inside the hand is a wheel with 24 spokes. Each spoke represents an ancient teacher (the Tirthankaras). Inside the wheel is the inscription "ahimsa" which means non-violence. Non-violence is the most basic principle of Jainism

History

Jainism was founded by Mahavira, who lived in the 6th century BC. He was the son of making who renounced his wealth and leisure to find enlightenment. He then lived a life of extreme self-mortification, punishing his body to liberate his soul. At the brink of death he experienced a flash of enlightenment.

Unlike the Buddha, Mahavira di not cease to live an ascetic life. He recruited others to emulate his lifestyle.

Jainism split from Hinduism because it didn't acknowledge the caste system or divinity of the Hindu scriptures.

Jainism's central belief not to harm any living beings is so strict it denies farming as a valid occupation.

Jains became good commerce and finance occupations.

Scriptures

There are many Jain writings. The most popular collection of Scriptures is the Agam Sutras, but they are not universally accepted.

Major Beliefs

Jainism's main focus is on liberation from the cycle of reincarnation.

Jainism teaches the law of karma.

Jainism teaches that each being has its own soul and its own divinity. The soul is called a jiva and it is trapped in a cycle of births and rebirths. The goal of each jiva is to rise to the top of the universe to enjoy peace. Ajiva (or dead matter) clings to the soul and keeps it trapped in its current bondage. Ajiva is depicted as granules that weigh the soul down and the more bad karma one accrues, the more ajiva sets piled on one's jiva.

The point of Jainism is to purify one's soul of all ajiva in order to enter the permanent state of bliss. Removing bad karma from one's soul is something all persons need to do for themselves.

The gods are ambivalent role in Jainism.

Jainism vigorously denies the existence of a creator or sustainer of the universe.

The Hindu gods are recognized in Jainism, but seen as being in need of salvation. The gods must be reborn in human form to receive salvation through personal enlightenment.

There are five vows one must take to achieve enlightenment.
1) Ahisma - never harming many living thing. Eating can be given up to remove all karma.
2) Always tell the truth. One must qualify all of one's speech so that no one can mishear them.
3) Never steal property
4) Avoid all sexual contact
5) Do not get attached to anything material. One must limit one's sensory input as much as possible.

Mahavira showed the way to enlightenment. He was a jina (a conqueror) and a Tirthankara (a  ford finder). Mahavira was the last of the 24 Tirthankara.

Even though Tirthankaras are not gods in Jainism, they are worshipped as such in Jain temples.

Subgroups

There are two major subgroups and a number of small ones. The two major subgroups are:
1) Svetambara - "clad in white". The monks wear white.
2) Digambara - "clad in atmosphere". The monks wear only air.

Digambara Jainists believe that one cannot attain enlightenment while wearing clothes and that women cannot go naked. Thus, they believe that women cannot be enlightened.

The Svetambara believe that women can attain enlightenment and that one of the Tirthankaras was a woman named Subidhi.

Worship practices

One attaining enlightenment through strictly observing precepts.

In the Jain temples people focus on the teachings of the Tirthankaras and venerate their statues.

They meditate in the temples.

Religious Buildings

Jain temples are usually highly ornate and white on the outside.

Inside a temple there are decorations to aid meditation.

There are statues of the Tirthankaras in an isolated room. Worshippers must wear cloths on their face to not contaminate the purity of the air with their breath.

Home Practices

Jains believe that only monks can remove all karma to attain enlightenment.

The laity of Jainism work to remove as much karma as possible to have a favorable reincarnation.

Clothing

Laypersons must dress modestly. Monks split over wearing white robes and going nude.

Diet

Laypersons eat a strict vegetarian diet. This is still a compromise because plants are living creatures and they believe that they are incurring karma every time they eat.

Monks only eat what was going to be thrown away.

Calendar

Jains follow a lunar calendar that keeps step with the solar year.

All groups celebrate the birthday of Mahavira, which roughly falls into April.

The other main holiday is a 10-day fast used as a time of reflection and prayer.

The Svetambras call this Paryusham and hold it in August. The Digambaras observe their  fast as the Das Lakshon in September.

Jainism is a culture based on rigorous ethical principles, paying a high respect for truth.