Chapter 4 Jainism

1. Chapter 4Jainism

2. Overview • Tirthankaras & ascetic orders • Freeing the soul: ethic pillars • Spiritual practices • World Jainism

3. Key terms ahimsa anekantwad aparigraha Digambara jiva muni samsara Svetambara Tirthankaras

4. “Once when he [sat in meditation], his body unmoving, they cut his flesh, tore his hair, and covered him with dirt. They picked him up and then dropped him, disturbing his meditational postures. Abandoning concern for his body, free from desire, the Venerable One humbled himself and bore the pain.” Akaranga Sutra

5. “All breathing, existing, living, sentient creatures should not be slain, nor treated with violence, nor abused, nor tormented, nor driven away. This is the pure, unchangeable, eternal law....Correctly understanding the law, one should arrive at indifference for the impressions of the senses, and not act on the motives of the world. Akangara Sutra

6. Timeline before c. 777 BCE 599-527 BCE from 3rd century BCE 1914-1997 CE 1970s-1980s CE Series of 23 Tirthankaras Life of Mahavira Digambaras and Svetambaras diverge Acharya Tulsi Jain monks establish Jain centers outside India

7. The Tirthankaras and Ascetic Orders • Mahavira, “The Great Hero,” is Jainism’s major teacher, a contemporary of the Buddha • Mahavira is the twenty-fourth of the Tirthankaras,or “fordmakers,” considered by Jains to be great teachers • An ascetic path, Jainism is practiced in its fullest by monks and nuns • Some adherents will carry the principle of nonviolence to wearing a gauze mask to avoid inhaling insects

8. The Tirthankaras and Ascetic Orders (continued) • Jain nuns and monks are celibate; they fast, do penance, and learn to endure hardships with indifference • Digambaras • Svetambaras • Jainism, an ancient religion of India, holds a modern relevance in its gentle warnings of the importance of caring for all life

9. Mahavira (“great hero”), whose given name was Vardhamana, and who was born a kshatriya, founded Jainism in the 6th century BCE.

10. Jain nuns venerate small and colossal statues of Bahubali.

11. Freeing the Soul: the ethical pillars • Karma • Considered to be subtle matter that accumulates and clings to us as we think and act • Distinguish between destructive and nondestructive types • Must be eliminated to attain kevala; three principles • Ahimsa: nonviolence • Aparigraha: nonattachment • Anekantwad: nonabsolutism

12. Spiritual Practices • Jainism is practiced in its fullest by monks and nuns • Laypeople seek to lead simple lives • Their homes are scrupulously clean • They are strict vegetarians • Medicines are prepared without cruel testing on animals

13. Spiritual Practices (continued) • 12 “limited” vows Jain laypeople are to undertake • The first 5 are most important • Nonviolence • Truthfulness • Not taking anything that has not been given • Renouncing sexual activity outside of marriage • Limiting one’s possessions

14. This 15th-century illustrated text of Mahavira shows a monk resisting the attractions of women.

15. Festivals and Pilgrimages • Holy days are celebrated with meditation, renunciation, fasting, scriptural study, and hymns • Celebrate Divali but with a 3-day fast and an entire night of reciting hymns and meditating on Mahavir • Most important festival is Paryushan Mahaparva, an annual festival of atonement • Individuals, families, and groups may also go on pilgrimages to sacred sites

16. Ideally Jains worship without expecting personal response or help.

17. World Jainism • Has survived as a minority religion in India for most of its history • Has been carried out of India by several teachers • Acharya Tulsi initiated new orders of semi-monks and nuns • Also started the Anuvrat (small vow) Movement

18. Mahavira – last of 24 Mahavira is regarded as the man who gave Jainism its present-day form; although this is true only in the widest sense. He is sometimes wrongly called "the founder of Jainism".

19. Jain Caves

20. Considerations… The virtuous have no need for religion.

21. Their Ethical Pillars • Karma – minute particles accumulated due to actions • Ahimsa – all things deserve to live and evolve • Aparigraha – possessions possess us; therefore, non-attachment important

22. Considerations… If we live simply we will protect the environment. Because we will not need much, we will not need big industries to produce unnecessary things.

23. Truth has many facets…

24. Spiritual Practices • Celibacy, penance, fasting • Non-violence to all life • Usually no clothing • Purification for liberation • No external god

25. Small vows include… “…avoid willful killing of any innocent creature, to refrain from attacks and aggression and to work instead for world peace and disarmament, to avoid discrimination on the basis of cast or race, to eschew religions intolerance, to avoid false business and political practices….”

26. His Holiness Muni Shshil Kimarji “We believe that Lord Jesus Christ did come to India at a place called Pallipana…where there is a big Jain temple, and he came into contact with Jain monks whose main precepts are non-violence, peace and love.”

27. “Jesus attained Christ consciousness at the age of twenty-five while in India. Thereafter, he returned to Palestine through Tibet, Afghanistan, Persia and areas we now know as Russia.” Sai Baba

28. Rites/Rituals/Ceremonies • Communion with the Gods/Holy Ones • Birth • Rites of Passage/Puberty Rights • Baptism • Marriage Rites • Death Rites

29. Communion with the Gods & Holy Ones • The Jains commune with their deities by worshiping in temples, meditating, and reciting mantras. • The Jains worship idols of Jinas, or “Spiritual Victors”. The most important of these Jinas are the Tirthankaras, or “Ford-Makers”, the 24 founders of Jainism.

30. Worship of the Jinas The Jains worship publicly in stone temples. They worship by meditating, chanting mantras, and by gazing at and anointing the 24 images of the Tirthankaras, the “Ford Makers”. They also pay homage to all Jinas, or “spiritual victors”.

31. Meditations & Mantras • Meditation (samayika) is an integral part of Jainism. During meditation and worship, Jains often recite mantras or prayers. • The most fundamental of the Jain mantras is the Navkar Mantra.

32. The Navkar Mantra • Namo Arihantanum: I bow down to Arihanta • Namo Siddhanam: I bow down to Siddha • Namo Ayariyanam: I bow down to Acharya • Namo Uvajjhayanam: I bow down to Upadhyaya • Namo Loe Savva-sahunam: I bow down to Sadhu & Sadhvi. • Eso Panch Namokaro: These five bowing downs, • Savva-pavappanasano: Destroy all the sins, • Manglanach Savvesim: Amongst all that is auspicious, • Padhamam Havei Mangalam: This Navkar Mantra is the foremost.

33. Ahisma • Ahisma is the practice of total non-violence. • A major principle of Jainism is communion with one’s environment, or oneness with one’s surroundings; this is achieved through Ahisma. • Ahisma is usually symbolized by a hand with the palm facing out, which means “stop”.

34. Vegetarians • Because of Ahisma, Jains do not believe in harming living beings, which all have souls. This means that they do not eat meat, and many of them do not eat vegetables either. • The strictest of the Jains eat only fruits, nuts, and milk, which are acceptable because they are the byproducts of livings beings, not the actual beings themselves.

35. Karma • Karma is the natural moral law of the universe, in which every good or bad action has a corresponding effect on the person doing that action. • According to Jainism there are 2 types of Karma . Ghati (destructive) and Aghati (non-destructive), each containing several sub-categories. • The goal of Jainism is to liberate one’s soul, to become a Jina (spiritual victor). To become a Jina, one must escape Karma by leading an ascetic and intrinsically pure life.

36. Birth • There are a few simple ritual that are performed after the birth of a child • Priyodhbhav Sanskar: ten days of cleansing, during which no rituals are performed, but mantras may be chanted by the priests and offerings received for the child at a temple. • Namkaranan Sanskar: the ritual of naming the child, performed on the 11th, 13th, or 29th after birth. The name for a boy is selected from the 1008 Jinasahasranam, and for girls chosen from the names of the woman in the Puranas.

37. Rites of Passage/Puberty Rites • The rites of passage/puberty rites (concerning the laity) that Jains practice are not strictly practices of Jainism. Rather they are often the local Hindu customs. These customs are acceptable as long as the do not violate the ethics of Jainism.

38. Monks and Nuns • Monks and nuns must base their lives on mahavrats, or the “great vows”. These include: • Not injuring any life forms, Ahisma • Truthfulness, Satya • Not stealing, Asteya • Celibacy, Brahmachanga • Not accepting personal possessions, Aparigraha

39. Water Rituals • The Jains do not practice baptism. However, they do have rules that must be followed when using water. • Water should be filtered before use to prevent harm to living creatures that may be in the water • Some stricter (more spiritual) Jains do not bathe and only use water as necessary

40. Marriage Rituals • Marriage is considered a social contract, not a religious practice. The wedding ceremony may be simple or very elaborate. • The rituals performed around the time of marriage vary from one community to another, but are numerous and may include some of the following:

41. Marriage Rituals • Pre-Wedding - • Vagdana: Parents declare intended marriage • Laghana Lekhan: marriage negotiation finalized • Sagai and Lagna Patrika Vachan: engagement ceremonies/rituals • Matruka and Kulkar Sthapan: gods and goddesses are invoked to bless the couple • Wedding Ceremony – • Ghudhchadi: groom’s ritual on the day before the wedding • Vara Ghoda: the groom’s procession to the wedding • Torana Vidhi: welcoming ceremony at the wedding • Paraspara Mukh Avalokana: bride and groom look at each other

42. Marriage Rituals • Hasta Melap: joining ceremony, priest’s words to the couple • Toran Pratishtha: the goddess Lakshmi is honored • Vedi Pratishtha: the gods of Kshetras are honored • Agni Sthapan: sacred fire ritual; offerings to the fire god • Abisheka: couple’s heads are anointed with water • Gotrachar: lineages of the couple are pronounced • Granthi Bandhan: ceremonial tying of the couple together • Agni Pradakshina: the couple circles the sacred fire four times while reciting a different mantra each time around • Kanyadaan: before the last stage of Agni Pradakshina, the father presents the bride to the groom

43. Marriage Rituals • Vakshepa: “Lord Adinath was married with this ceremony…” • Second Abisheka: priest wishes the couple well • Kar-mochan: couple are released, ceremony is ended • Post Wedding – • Ashirvada: the elders bless the couple • Reception: wedding feast • Sva Graha Aagamana: bride goes to her new home. • Jina Grahe Dhan Arpana: alms are given at a Jain temple in thankfulness to the gods

44. Death Rites • When a person dies, he or she is cremated as soon as possible. • The body is placed on a bier and taken to a place where it can be burned without harming any living beings. • The body is taken from the bier and covered with wood. The body is covered with ghee, camphor, and sandalwood powder. The last rites are performed by the son of the deceased. • The son circles the pyre 3 times while sprinkling water on the body. While chanting the Namokar Mantra, he lights the pyre. • After a while, milk is poured over the scorched area and the remains are collected in bags. • The remains are placed in hole and sprinkled with salt. The hole is covered and the rituals are over.

45. Reincarnation • As soon as a person (or any living being) dies, his or her soul is immediately reborn in another life form. • If one’s spirituality is such that it should require punishment, a person may be required to spend time in one of seven hells. Unlike most views of hell, each stage of hell becomes increasingly colder. One’s stay in hell is not eternal; once the punishment is sufficient, a person’s soul will be reborn into another life form. • If people can escape all karma (good and bad), they will be reborn as a Siddhas, or liberated souls, in the highest level of heaven, where they will be eternally happy and separate from the world.

46. Major Tenets Everything is eternal; there is no all-powerful “God” that has created the world. When a living being dies, it is reincarnated. All living beings have souls. The 3 gems. Reverence for the deities (Siddhas, Jinas, and the 24 Tirthankaras). Vegetarianism, or Fruitarianism. The great vows, the Mahavrats.

47. The Sign of Jainism • This is the sign of Jainism. Each part of the sign symbolizes an important principle or belief of Jainism. • This symbol was adopted by all the sects of Jainism in honor of the 2500th anniversary of Lord Mahavira’s spiritual liberation.

48. How to Become a Jain • Jainism is a distinctly Indian religion, although anyone who is willing to meet their strict requirements can become a Jain. • The most fundamental belief of Jainism is Ahisma, complete non-violence toward all living beings. No other religion takes the principle of non-violence to the extent that the Jains do.

49. Requirements All Jains must: • Seek peace with their surroundings and be as non-violent as possible, Ahisma. • Be truthful in everything, Satya. • Deal honestly with people, they must not steal, Asteya. • Practice the 3 Gems: • Right faith, right conduct, right knowledge. The most important of these is faith, after it is obtained the others will follow.

50. Basic Philosophy of Jainism • Jainism is more than meeting certain criteria, it is epitomizing certain philosophies. • Pure Darshan: pure vision • Pure Gyan: pure reason/knowledge • Pure Charitra: pure character