Region, Origins, and Historical Significance
Jainism is an ancient religion that originated on 550 B.C.E. in North India centuries before Gautama Buddha. Its main focus is to prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings. Although it doesn't have a single founder, its historical significance consists of the truth being revealed at different times by Tirthankara, a teacher who 'shows the way.' Tirthankaras accomplished the highest spiritual goal of existence and then taught their followers how to achieve it. There is historical evidence of the early existence of the 23rd Tirthankara, Parshva, who lived 250 years before Mahavira, the world's most recent Tirthankara. Mahavira was originally born as Vardhamana in north east India in 599 B.C.E. He was a prince, son of King Siddhartha and Queen Trishala. Following his parents' death, when he was thirty years old, he began an ascetic lifestyle by renouncing all the worldly pleasures and comforts. After he reached the highest spiritual goal of existence, he was renamed Mahavira since Maha means "great" and Vira means "hero."
Theology, Ideologies, and Core Beliefs
Mahavira with halo
The ultimate aim of Jainism is to achieve liberation of the soul, which means escaping the continuous cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. That way, the immortal soul will live forever in the state of bliss. The way to liberation and bliss is to live a life of harmlessness and renunciation. Also, one must eliminate karma from the soul to achieve liberation. Jain followers see karma as a physical substance that exists everywhere. It can be avoided by behaving well or by having the right mental state.
The essence of Jainism is the concern for the welfare of every human being in the universe and for the health of the universe itself. There is the belief that animals and plants, just like humans, contain living souls. The souls are considered of equal value and should be treated with compassion and respect.
Jain people are strict vegetarians, live a lifestyle that requires the minimization of the world's natural resources, and believe in reincarnation.
Jainism is a religion of self-help for it has no Gods or spiritual beings that will help human beings. Jainism includes three guiding principles known as the Three Jewels and the 5 great vows known as the 5 Mahavratas.
THREE JEWELS:
* right belief (using the 5 senses properly & avoid superstitions)
* right knowledge (have accurate, sufficient knowledge of the real universe)
* right conduct (avoid doing harm to living things & yourself)
5 MAHAVRATAS:
* Ahimsa (supreme principle of Jain living: non-violence)
* Satya (non-attachment to possessions)
* Asteya (not lying)
* Brahma - Charya (not stealing)
* Aparigraha (sexual restraint)
The essence of Jainism is the concern for the welfare of every human being in the universe and for the health of the universe itself. There is the belief that animals and plants, just like humans, contain living souls. The souls are considered of equal value and should be treated with compassion and respect.
Jain people are strict vegetarians, live a lifestyle that requires the minimization of the world's natural resources, and believe in reincarnation.
Jainism is a religion of self-help for it has no Gods or spiritual beings that will help human beings. Jainism includes three guiding principles known as the Three Jewels and the 5 great vows known as the 5 Mahavratas.
THREE JEWELS:
* right belief (using the 5 senses properly & avoid superstitions)
* right knowledge (have accurate, sufficient knowledge of the real universe)
* right conduct (avoid doing harm to living things & yourself)
5 MAHAVRATAS:
* Ahimsa (supreme principle of Jain living: non-violence)
* Satya (non-attachment to possessions)
* Asteya (not lying)
* Brahma - Charya (not stealing)
* Aparigraha (sexual restraint)
Jainism is separated into two major sects: the Digambara, "sky clad", and the Svetambara, "white clad." The sects are seperated into subgroups. There are a couple of things that the sects disagree on, such as the details of the life of Mahavira or the spiritual status of women. Digambaras believe women can't achieve liberation without being reborn a man first.
More Beliefs:
* Universe contains jivas ( living souls) & ajivas (non-living objects)
* Jivas are eternal & conscious
* Nothing is ever destroyed or created. It just changes forms.
* Aparigraha: the more one possesses, the more unhappy he/she is& the more likely to commit sins
* Universe has 5 parts:
- supreme abode (where liberated beings live forever)
- upper world (where celestial livings live temporarily)
- middle world (where human beings live, only place to achieve enlightenment)
- lower world (seven hells, where people are tormented by demons and each other)
- the base (where lowest forms of life live)
More Beliefs:
* Universe contains jivas ( living souls) & ajivas (non-living objects)
* Jivas are eternal & conscious
* Nothing is ever destroyed or created. It just changes forms.
* Aparigraha: the more one possesses, the more unhappy he/she is& the more likely to commit sins
* Universe has 5 parts:
- supreme abode (where liberated beings live forever)
- upper world (where celestial livings live temporarily)
- middle world (where human beings live, only place to achieve enlightenment)
- lower world (seven hells, where people are tormented by demons and each other)
- the base (where lowest forms of life live)
Evolution of Religion Over Time
Jainism began to lose strength as Hinduism grew. By the middle of the 19th century it was seriously weakened. However, it revived in the end of the 19th century by a number of Svetambara reformers. According to the 2001 census of India, there are 4.2 million Jain followers. The oxford Handbook of Global Religions estimates there are about 25,000 followers in Britain.