JAINISM

Introduction
Jainism, traditionally known as Jaina dharma, is an Indian religion that prescribes
a path of non-violence towards all living beings. It is one of the oldest religions of
the world finding its roots in ancient India. Tradition says that this belief has been
preached by a succession of twenty-four propagators of faith known as
tirthankara. Jainism emphasises spiritual independence and equality between all
forms of life. Practitioners of this religion believe that non-violence and selfcontrol is the means by which they can obtain liberation from the cycle of
reincarnations.

Quick Glance

Jains believe that animals and plants, as well as human beings, contain living
souls. Each of these souls is considered of equal value and should be treated with
respect and compassion.

Jains are strict vegetarians and live in a way that minimises their use of
the world's resources. (Jainism believes that the more a person possesses in
worldly wealth the more he may be unhappy and the more likely he is to commit
sin, both physically and mentally. The spiritual problem is that people form
attachments

to

possessions.

They

hoard

their

wealth

and

desire

more

possessions: possessions become an end in themselves. This gets in the way of

detachment and spiritual growth.)

Jains believe in reincarnation and seek to attain ultimate liberation - which

means escaping the continuous cycle of birth, death and rebirth so that the
immortal soul lives for ever in a state of bliss. (When a being dies the soul (jiva)
goes to its next body instantly. This body may not be human or even animal. The
quality of its next life is determined by its karma at that time)

Liberation is achieved by eliminating all karma from the soul.

Jainism is a religion of self-help.

There are no gods or spiritual beings that will help human beings.

The three guiding principles of Jainism, the 'three jewels', are right belief, right
knowledge and right conduct.

The supreme principle of Jain living is non violence (ahimsa).

This is one of the 5 mahavratas (the 5 great vows). The other mahavratas are
non-attachment to possessions, not lying, not stealing, and sexual restraint (with
celibacy as the ideal).

Mahavira is regarded as the man who gave Jainism its present-day form.

The texts containing the teachings of Mahavira are called theAgamas.

Jains are divided into two major sects; the Digambara (meaning "sky clad")
sect and the Svetambara (meaning "white clad") sect.

Jainism has no priests. Its professional religious people aremonks and nuns,
who lead strict and ascetic lives.

History
Jainism dates to the 6th century B.C.E. in India. The religion derives its name
from the jinas ("conquerors"), a title given to twenty-four great teachers
(tirthankaras or "ford-makers"), through whom their faith was revealed.
Mahavira, the last of the tirthankaras, is considered the founder of Jainism. The
ultimate goal of Jainism is the liberation of the self (jiva) from rebirth, which is
attained through the elimination of accumulated karma (the consequences of
previous actions). This occurs through both the disciplined cultivation of
knowledge and control of bodily passions. When the passions have been utterly
conquered and all karma has been removed, one becomes a Jina ("conqueror"),
and is no longer subject to rebirth. Jainism conceives of a multi-layered universe
containing both heavens and hells. Movement through these levels of the
universe requires adherence to the Jainism doctrines emphasizing a peaceful and
disciplined life. These principles include non-violence in all parts of life (verbal,
physical, and mental), speaking truth, sexual monogamy, and the detachment
from material things. As part of the disciplined and non-violent lifestyle, Jains
typically are strict vegetarians and often adhere to a quite arduous practice of
non-violence, which restricts the sorts of occupations the may follow (no farming,
for instance, since insects are inadvertently harmed in plowing). Jainism's ethical
system is based on the idea that right faith, knowledge, and conduct must be
cultivated simultaneously.

Jainism doesn't have a single founder. The truth has been revealed at different
times by a tirthankara, which means a teacher who 'makes a ford' i.e. shows the
way. Other religions call such a person a 'prophet'.
As great omniscient teachers, Tirthankaras accomplished the highest spiritual
goal of existence and then teach others how to achieve it. In what Jains call the
'present age' there have been 24 tirthankaras - although there is little evidence
for the existence of most of these.

Tirthankaras
A tirthankara appears in the world to teach the way to moksha, or liberation.
A Tirthankar is not an incarnation of the God. He is an ordinary soul that is born
as a human and attains the states of a Tirthankar as a result of intense practices
of penance, equanimity and meditation. As such, the Tirthankar is not defined as
an Avatar (god-incarnate) but is the ultimate pure developed state of the soul.
Tirthankaras were not founders of any religion, but great omniscient teachers
who lived at various times in man's cultural history. They accomplished the
highest spiritual goal of existence and then taught their contemporaries the way
to reach it by crossing over to the safe shores of spiritual purity.
Each new tirthankara preaches the same basic Jain philosophy, but they give the
Jain way of life subtly different forms in order to suit the age and the culture in
which they teach.
The 24 tirthankaras during this present age are:

Adinatha, Ajita, Sambhava, Abhinandana, Sumati, Padmaprabha, Suparshva,

Chandraprabha, Suvidhi, Shital, Shreyansa, Vasupujya, Vimala, Ananta, Dharma,
Shanti, Kunthu, Ara, Malli, Muni Suvrata, Nami, Nemi, Parshva and Mahavira.

Svetambara Jains believe that tirthankaras can be men or women, and say that
Malli began her life as a princess; but Digambra Jains believe that women can't
be tirthankaras and that Malli was a man.

Parshva
There is some historical evidence for the earthly existence of the 23rd
tirthankara, Parshva, who lived about 250 years before Mahavira.
In his time four of the five Jain principles of non-violence, truthfulness, not
stealing, and not owning things were part of Jainism. Chastity was added by the
next tirthankara, Mahavira.

Beliefs
Dharma
Jains believe that non-injury is the highest religion.
Jains aim to live in such a way that their jiva (soul) doesn't get any more karma, and so
that the karma it already has is either eliminated or helped to decay. They do this by
following a disciplined life path.
The path or Dharma (truth, teaching) that Mahavira advocated was one of strict
asceticism, renunciation and moral cultivation. He instructed his followers to cultivate
the three jewels of:

Right belief

Right knowledge

Right conduct
Emerging from these three jewels and relating to right conduct are the five abstinences,
which are the vows of:

Ahimsa (non-violence)

Satya (truthfulness)

Asteya (not stealing)

Aparigraha (non-acquisition)

Brahmacarya (chaste living)

Karma
Karma is the mechanism that determines the quality of life. The happiness of a being's
present life is the result of the moral quality of the actions of the being in its previous
life.
A soul can only achieve liberation by getting rid of all the karma attached to it.

Karma is a logical and understandable way of making sense of good and evil, the
different qualities of different lives and the different moral status of different types of
creature, without having to involve rules laid down by a god.
Karma works without the intervention of any other being - gods or angels have no part
to play in dispensing rewards or punishments.
Karma is a concept found in religions which include reincarnation in their beliefs.
Different religions have different ideas as to exactly how karma operates.
The Jain idea of karma is much more elaborate and mechanistic than that found in some
other Eastern religions.
Karma is a physical substance
Jains believe that karma is a physical substance that is everywhere in the universe.
Karma particles are attracted to thejiva (soul) by the actions of that jiva.
It may be helpful to think of karma as floating dust which sticks to the soul, or as types
of atomic particle which are attracted to the soul as a result of our actions, words and
thoughts. On their own, karma particles have no effect but when they stick to a soul
they affect the life of that soul.
We attract karma particles when we do or think or say things: we attract karma particles
if we kill something, we attract karma particles when we tell a lie, we attract karma
particles when we steal and so on.
The quantity and nature of the karma particles sticking to the soul cause the soul to be
happy or unhappy and affect the events in the soul's present and future lives.
It's a compound process in that the accumulation of karma causes us to have bad
thoughts, deeds, emotions and vices, and these bad actions (etc) cause our souls to
attract more karma, which causes more bad thoughts, and so on.
Avoiding and removing karma
Karma can be avoided in two ways

By behaving well - so no karma is attracted

By having the right mental state - so that even if an action attracts karma, the
correct mental attitude of the being means that karma either doesn't stick to that soul
or is discharged immediately
Some karmas expire on their own after causing suffering. Others karmas remain. The
karma that has built up on the soul can be removed by living life according to the Jain
vows.

The soul
Jain ideas about the soul differ from those of many other religions.
The Jain word that comes closest to soul is jiva, which means a conscious, living being.
For Jains body and soul are different things: the body is just an inanimate container the conscious being is the jiva.
After each bodily death, the jiva is reborn into a different body to live another life, until it
achieves liberation. When a jiva isembodied (i.e. in a body), it exists throughout that
body and isn't found in any particular bit of it.
Jains believe:

the soul exists forever

each soul is always independent

the soul is responsible for what it does

the soul experiences the consequences of its actions

the soul can become liberated from the cycle of birth and death

not all souls can be liberated - some souls are inherently incapable of achieving
this

the soul can evolve towards that liberation by following principles of behaviour
Individuality

The universe
Jains believe that the universe we perceive really exists and is not an illusion. It contains
two classes of thing: jivas - living souls, and ajivas - non-living objects, which include
everything else, including space.
Nothing in the universe is ever destroyed or created, they simply change from one form
to another.
Jains believe that the universe has always existed and will always exist. It is regulated by
cosmic laws and kept going by its own energy processes. This concept of the universe is
compatible with modern scientific thinking.
Jains do not believe that the universe was created by any sort of god.
The Jain word that comes closest to the western idea of the universe is "loka".

The loka is the framework of the universe. It contains the world we experience at the
moment, as well as the worlds of heaven and hell.
The loka exists in space. Space is infinite, the universe is not.
The nature of the universe
The Jain universe is in five parts:

The supreme abode:

The region where liberated beings live for ever.

The upper world:

the region where celestial beings live, but not for ever

The middle world:

the region where human beings live

this is the only part of the universe from which a being can achieve enlightenment

The lower world:

this region consists of seven hells where beings are tormented by demons and by
each other

their torment does not last for ever

The base

the region where the lowest forms of life live

The Three Jewels of Jainism

The aim of Jain life is to achieve liberation of the soul.
This is done by following the Jain ethical code, or to put it simply, living rightly by
following the three jewels of Jain ethics.
There are three parts to this: right faith, right knowledge and right conduct. The first two
are very closely connected.
Right faith - Samyak darshana
This doesn't mean believing what you're told, but means seeing (hearing, feeling, etc.)
things properly, and avoiding preconceptions and superstitions that get in the way of
seeing clearly.

Some books call samyak darshana "right perception". You can't achieve this unless you
are determined to find the truth, and distinguish it from untruth.
Right knowledge - Samyak jnana
This means having an accurate and sufficient knowledge of the real universe - this
requires a true knowledge of the five (or six) substances and nine truths of the universe
- and having that knowledge with the right mental attitude.
One writer puts it like this: "if our character is flawed and our conscience is not clear,
knowledge alone will not help us achieve composure and happiness".
Today this means having a proper knowledge of the Jain scriptures.
Some writers describe right knowledge as meaning having a pure soul; a soul that is
free from attachment and desire... others say that a person who has right knowledge will
naturally free themselves from attachment and desire, and so achieve peace of mind.
Right conduct - Samyak charitra
This means living your life according to Jain ethical rules, toavoid doing harm to
living things and freeing yourself from attachment and other impure attitudes and
thoughts.
Jains believe that a person who has right faith and right knowledge will be motivated and
able to achieve right conduct.
Many Jains believe that a person without right faith and right knowledge cannot achieve
right conduct - so it's no use following scripture and ritual for the wrong reasons (e.g. so
that other people will think you are a good person). Not all Jains hold this view

Vows taken by lay Jains

Jain scripture expects lay Jains to follow the following twelve vows.
The five Anuvratas
The Anuvratas are known as the Lesser or Limited Vows:

Non-violence - Ahimsa:

Jains must do their best to avoid any intentional hurt to living things. In daily life
harm can be minimized by filtering drinking water, not eating at night, and so on. Intentional
hurt includes cases of avoidable negligence.

Jains must be vegetarians.

Jains may use violence in self-defence.

If a Jain's work unavoidably causes harm (e.g. farming) they should try to
minimize the harm and maintain complete detachment.

Truthfulness - Satya:

Jains must always be truthful.

Jains must always conduct business honestly.

Dishonesty by not doing something is as bad as being actively dishonest.

Non-stealing - Achaurya or Asteya

Jains must not steal

Jains must not cheat

Jains must not avoid paying tax

Chastity - Bramacharya

Jains must have sex only with the person they are married to.

Jains must avoid sexual indulgence even with that person.

Jains must give up sex, if possible, after the marriage has yielded a son.

Non-possession - Aparigraha

Jains must only possess what they need.

Jains must use surplus possessions to benefit others.

Jains must live simply.

Jains must not use too many resources.

The three Gunavratas

The Gunavratas are known as the Subsidiary Vows:

Limited area of activity - Dik vrata

By this vow a lay Jain restricts the extent to which they travel, so as to reduce the
area in which they may do harm.

Limited use of resources - Bhoga-Upbhoga vrata

Jains should limit their use of things like food and clothing according to what they
need.

Avoidance of pointless sins - Anartha-danda vrata

Thinking or speaking badly of other people.

Being inconsiderate (and not just to people).

Being self-indulgent.

Reading, watching or listening to immoral material.

The four Siksavratas

The Siksavratas are known as the Vows of Instruction or Discipline:

Meditation vow - Samayik vrata

Jains should carry out sitting meditation in one place for 48 minutes each day.

Limited duration of activity vow - Desavakasika

Jains should restrict certain activities to specific times.

Limited ascetic's life vow - Pausadha vrata

Jains should regularly adopt the life of a monk for a day.

Limited charity vow - Siksavratas

Jains should give to monks, nuns and the poor.

5 Anuvatras
Ahimsa
Jains believe that the only way to save one's own soul is to protect every other soul, and
so the most central Jain teaching, and the heart of Jain ethics, is that of ahimsa (nonviolence).
In practical terms the biggest part that ahimsa plays in the lives of lay Jains today is in
the regulation of their diet.
Ahimsa is often translated simply as non-violence, but its implications are far wider; it is
more than not doing violence, it is more than an attitude, it is a whole way of life. And
for modern Jains the concept also includes the positive elements of working for justice,
peace, liberation, and freedom, if doing so does not involve violence.
Mahatma Gandhi was a famous advocate of Ahimsa, as it informed his policy of passive
resistance, satyagraha (combining the Sanskrit terms for 'truth' and 'holding firmly') which he adopted towards the occupying British forces during the period leading up to
Indian independence. Some Jains have criticised this as being a subtle form of violence.
You may think that there is a high degree of self-interest in the doctrine of ahimsa,
because in Jainism harm done to other beings is considered harm to oneself since it
attracts much karma and thus hinders the soul's journey to liberation. But this is
merely an appearance - the level of detachment that a Jain seeks to cultivate eliminates
self-interest.

The literal meaning

Literally translated, Ahimsa means to be without harm; to be utterly harmless, not only
to oneself and others, but to all forms of life, from the largest mammals to the smallest
bacteria.
Jains believe that life (which equals soul) is sacred regardless of faith, caste, race, or
even species.
Do not injure, abuse, oppress, enslave, insult, torment, torture or kill any creature or
living being.
Jain scripture
In following this discipline Jain monks may be observed treading and sweeping in their
temples with the utmost of care so as to avoid accidentally crushing crawling insects, or
wearing muslin cloths over their mouths in case they should accidentally swallow a fly.
Top

Ahimsa basics
Refraining from violence
One should refrain from violence to any living creature. Violence includes:

physical violence

mental violence

verbal violence
Violence can be committed in several ways, all of which should be avoided:

committing it yourself

asking others to commit violence

encouraging others to commit violence

assenting to or condoning violence

Violence involves violent intention as well as physical harm
This is controversial among Jains and both the points below are disputed. Accidental
physical harm may not count as violence if there was no violent intention, but lack of
compassion or care may be a sufficiently violent intention.
Ahimsa touches every area of life, so Jains:

are vegetarian

don't use cloth whose production hurts animals or humans

take care to preserve life in everything they do

Jains are also not allowed to do jobs that cause harm, for example:

those involving furnaces or fires

those in which trees are cut

those involving fermentation

trading in meat products, honey or eggs

trading in silk, leather etc

selling pesticides

selling weapons

digging

circus work involving animals

zoo work
Ahimsa is positive as well as negative, so it's good to:

forgive

promote tolerance

be compassionate

give to charity

work for peace

protect the environment

work for kindness to animals

do one's daily work in a just and honest way

Brahmacarya
Brahmacarya - chaste living
Chaste living is important to Jains because sexual indulgence gets in the way of the road
to liberation.

Sexual passion is so powerful that it can overcome rational thinking and ethically right
behaviour - thus producing badkarma in two ways.
Chastity for lay Jains
Lay Jains may have sexual relationships and have children; the lay version of chaste
living simply means remaining true and faithful to one's chosen partner.
Some Jain writers suggest that even married people should not over-indulge in sexual
activities, and have argued that the principle of chaste living will help in population
control.
Chaste living also requires Jains to avoid sex before marriage, and to avoid sexual
thoughts.
They should not look at pornography or sexually stimulating material, so that they can
retain a clear mind, unclouded by desire.
Chastity in monks and nuns
The highest ideals of classical or traditional Jainism are represented by the ascetics the members of the faith who devote their whole lives to living the Jain code of ethics in
its strictest forms. They renounce possessions, relationships, emotions and desire.
Although Jain ascetics are monks and nuns, they don't live in monastic communities like
the monks and nuns of many other religions. They live among the community and act as
teachers and living examples of Jain truth.
The teaching role is particularly important as the religion has no priests or other
professionally religious people.
Monks and nuns Jain monks and nuns are expected to remain completely celibate in
body and mind.
They do not think about sex and avoid remembering sexual incidents before they
became monks.

Satya and asteya

Satya - truthfulness

This vow requires total truthfulness not only by not telling lies, but by always speaking
the truth.
(Not at all the same thing - a truthful merchant, for example, should not cover up
defects when describing an item for sale.)
Asteya - non-stealing
This vow demands total honesty in behaviour; not only must you not steal things, you
must not acquire things other than by totally honest means.
In the modern context this is also taken to mean being totally honest in paying taxes or
not cheating in an exam.

Aparigraha - non-acquisition
Jainism believes that the more a person possesses in worldly wealth the more he may be
unhappy and the more likely he is to commit sin, both physically and mentally.
A Jain study guide
Jains believe that possessions are an obstacle to liberation.
Jain monks have virtually no possessions, while lay Jains try to minimise their
possessions.
The spiritual problem is that people form attachments to possessions. They hoard their
wealth and desire more possessions: possessions become an end in themselves. This
gets in the way of detachment and spiritual growth.
Lay Jains and non-acquisition
Lay Jains do have possessions.
They follow the principle of aparigraha by limiting their possessions to what they need and those needs are not just the minimum to sustain life, but depend on their position in
society and the size of their family.
However Jains should avoid conspicuous consumption and personal luxuries, and they
should not hoard their wealth.
One tradition says that a Jain should live on half their income, save a quarter of their
income for their old age, or for times of sickness, and give the last quarter to charity.

Non-acquisition and time

The idea of non-acquisition is sometimes expanded to prevent people being selfish with
their time and their talent. As a result Jains feel that they should take part in projects
that benefit the Jain community around them, or other beings (for example, in India,
Jains are known for their support of animal shelters).
Practical consequences of non-acquisition
The Jain doctrine of non-acquisition could lead to more equal distribution of wealth in
Jain society. To modern eyes non-acquisition is an ecologically sound doctrine as it leads
Jains to minimise their use of resources.
Religious attitudes to possessions
A discussion of poverty and non-acquisitiveness featuring a former Jain monk, a former
director of Christian Aid and the head of the Jewish Care charity.