Essays

Jainism is a religion of purely human origin and is preached by those who have attained perfect knowledge, omniscience and self-control by their own personal efforts and have been liberated from the bonds of worldly existence, the cycle of births and deaths. It is one of the oldest living religions of India. It predates recorded history as per references indicated in Hindu scriptures. It is an original system, quite distinct and Independent from other systems of Indian philosophy.

In ancient times Jainism was known by many names such as Saman tradition, the religion of Nirgantha or Jina. Literally Jina means a conqueror that is one that 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 an almighty God. All human beings have the potential to become a Jina.

Such human beings (Jinas) are viewed as Gods in Jainism. Hence Jainism believes in many Gods and their number continuously increases as other human beings attain the state of perfection by conquering the worldly passions. The concept of God as a creator, protector and destroyer of the universe does not exist in Jainism. Also the idea of God's reincarnation as a human being to destroy the demons is riot accepted in Jainism. In summary Jainism does not believe in creator God, but it is not an atheistic religion because it believes in many Gods who are self realized individuals and who have attained liberation. The Jinas that have established religious order are known as Tirthankars. The ascetic sage, Mahavir, was the last of the spiritual lineage of the twenty-four Tirthankars. About 2600 years ago Lord Mahavir or Vardhaman (599 to 527 BC), the twenty fourth and the last Tirthankara of this era revived the Jain philosophy previously preached by his predecessor Lord Parshva (950 to 850 BC) in India. He expanded the code of conducts and implemented daily rites for his followers. He felt that such changes are essential for proper religious practice. The present Jain scriptures reflect only his teachings.

Mahavir was a prince and his childhood name was Vardhaman. Being the son of a King, he had many worldly

pleasures, comforts and services at his command, but at the age of thirty he left his family and royal household, gave up his worldly possessions and become a monk in search of a solution to eliminate pain, sorrow and suffering from life. Mahavir spent the next twelve and one half years in deep silence and meditation to conquer his desires, feelings and attachments. He carefully avoided harming other living beings including animals, birds, insects and plants. He also went without food for long periods of time. He was calm and peaceful against all unbearable hardships. During this period, his spiritual powers fully developed and he realized perfect perception, perfect knowledge, perfect power and total bliss. This realization is known as kreviewjnan or the perfect enlightenment.

Mahavir spent the next thirty years travelling barefoot around India preaching the eternal truth he realized. The ultimate objective of his teaching is how one can attain total freedom from the cycle of birth, life, pain, misery and death and achieve the permanent blissful state of one's self. This is also known as liberation, nirvana, absolute freedom or Moksha.

At the age of 72 (527 BC), Lord Mahavir attained nirvana (death) and his purified soul left his body and achieved complete liberation. He became a Siddha, a pure consciousness, a liberated soul, living forever in a state of complete bliss. On the night of his nirvana, people celebrated the Festival of Lights (Dipavah) in his honour. This is the last day of the Hindu and Jain calendar year.

In summary, Jainism existed before Lord Mahavir and his teachings were based on those of his predecessors. Thus Mahavir was more of a reformer and propagator of an existing religious order than the founder of b. new faith. He followed the well-established creed of his/predecessor Tirthankar. However, he did reorganize [he philosophical tenets and codes of conduct to correspond to his time.

Primarily Jain ism assumes that the universe is without a beginning or an end, being everlasting and eternal. There exist six fundamental entities in the universe, which are eternal but continuously undergo countless changes. During the changes nothing is lost or destroyed. Everything is recycled into another form. The wheel of time incessantly revolves like a pendulum. In the first half circle it revolves from the descending to the ascending stage where human prosperity, happiness and life span increases and in the second half circle it revolves from the ascending stage to the descending stage where prosperity, happiness and life span decreases.

Mahavir explained that from eternity, every living being (soul) due to its ignorance is in bondage of karmic atoms known as karma. These karma are continuously accumulated by our actions of body, mind and speech. Under the influence of karma, the soul is habituated to seek pleasure in materialistic belongings and possessions. This is the deep-rooted cause of self-centered violent thoughts, deeds, anger, hatred, greed and such other vices that result in further accumulation of karma.

One can get rid of Karma and attain liberation by simultaneously following the path of right faith (samyak- darshan), right knowledge (samyak-jnan) and right conduct (samyak-charitra). Proper knowledge of the six universal substances (six Dravya) and the nine fundamental truths (nine Tattva) is called right knowledge and true faith in that

knowledge is called right faith. The right conduct includes nonviolence, self-purification, compassion, penance, austerity and meditation. The nine tattvas are the single most important subject of Jain philosophy. It deals with the theory of Karma, which provides the basis for the path of liberation. Without the proper knowledge of these tattvas, a person cannot progress spiritually.

The doctrine of Karma occupies a significant position in the Jaina philosophy. It provides a rational and satisfying explanation to the apparently inexplicable phenomena of birth and death, happiness and misery, inequalities in mental and physical attainments and of the existence of different species of living beings. It explains that the principle governing the successions of life is karma. Our intention behind our actions of body, mind and speech bind us. Jainism strives for the realization of the highest perfection of man, which in its original purity is free from all pam, suffering and the bondage of birth and death. The supreme ideal of the Jain religion is non- violence (Ahinsa), equal kindness and reverence for all forms of life in speech, thought and action. Above all it is a religion of love and compassion to all living beings.

Ahimsa is a principle that Jains teach and practice not only towards human beings but also towards all nature. The scriptures tell us: 'Do not injure abuse, oppress, enslave, insult, torment, torture or kill any creature or living being.' The teaching of ahimsa refers not only to wars and visible physical acts of violence but to violence in the hearts and minds of human beings and their lack of concern and compassion for fellow humans and for any other living being. Ancient Jain texts explain that violence (Ahinsa) is not defined by actual harm, for this may be unintentional. It is the intention to harm and the absence of compassion that makes actions violent. Without violent thought there could be no violent actions. Jainism is unique in allowing the very spiritually advanced person to gradually terminate his life by certain practices (principally fasting) under specified circumstances and under the supervision of Acharya. The point is to meet death in a state of complete awareness with all of one's faculties functioning properly. Jainism does not advocate suicide, assisted suicide, .mercy killing or removal of life-supporting devices.

Thus, the principles of Jainism, if properly understood in their right perspective and faithfully adhered to, will bring contentment and inner happiness and joy in the present life. this will elevate the soul in future reincarnations to a higher spiritual level, ultimately achieving Perfect Enlightenment, reaching its final destination of Eternal Bliss, ending all cycles of birth and death. The comprehensive Jain symbol consists of a digit of the Moon, three dots, the Swastika or Om, the palm of a hand with the wheel (Chakra) inset and an outline figure which encompasses all symbols. Each individual symbol is also separately used in Jainism. The digit of the Moon represents the region beyond the three worlds wherein reside the liberated souls.

The three Dots represent the Jain path of liberation (Jain trinity): right faith (Samyak Darshan), right knowledge (Samyak Jnana) and right conduct (Samyak Charitra), which together leads to liberation. Also these Dots represent the three worlds: earth (place for humans, animals, birds, vegetables etc.), hell and heaven, where all non-liberated souls born, live, die and suffer. The Swastika signifies the cycles of births and deaths due to karma, in any of the four forms, heaven, human, tiryanch (animals, birds and plants) and hell of the worldly (non-liberated) souls. It reminds that one should follow the true religion and be liberated to get out of this suffering.