JAINISM

1. JAINISM Those who follow the Conqueror

2. Founding of Jainism Founder – Mahavira • Mahavira honorific title means “great man” • Born into noble household – Kshatrya caste – married with children • At 30 disillusioned with life of luxury • Pursued austere ascetic practices

3. Founding of Jainism Life Practice - Mahavira • No clothes and no shelter • Commitment to avoid harming any living thing • Vail over face to avoid breathing things in • Ate sparingly and vegetarian • Such practices liberates his soul

4. Founding of Jainism Life Practice - Mahavira • Thirteenth year attained liberation • Described as a kind of omniscience called kaivalya • Knew and understood the universe and mastered the path of liberation • Liberated call a jina = conqueror • Jainism = those who follow the conquorer, ascetic monks to forest

5. Jainism - Teachings • Many distinct souls • Not monism (belief in only one ultimate reality as in Hinduism and Buddhism) • All living things with individual souls • Souls or life = jivas • Souls in blade of grass, humans, gods • Ajiva = non-life – rocks, dirt, dust

6. Jainism - Teachings • Jivas left to themselves would float to nirvana (pure bliss) • Same as in Hinduism and Buddhism • Souls contaminated • Ajiva keeps jivas from attaining nirvana • Karma matter – chunks of ajiva • Violating rules of life adds karma

7. Jainism - Teachings • Living a pure with little direct action removes karma • Level of rebirth determined by amount of karma of that particular soul • If little karma may return as holy man on the verge of liberation • Lots of karma may come back as worm and endure many lives before liberation

8. Jain Monks • Many different vows & regulations • Five Core Vows • Ahimsa – killing anything adds karma • Truth telling • Abstaining from theft • Conquering sexual desires • Detachment • First four same as Buddhism but held more rigorously

9. Jain Monks • Five Core Vows • Ahimsa • killing anything adds karma, even insects and plants • Monk must take every precaution not to hurt anything • Truth telling • Not to lie • Never mislead someone • Avoid frivolous talk or unguarded statement • To avoid contradictions preface – maybe or somehow (syadvada)

10. Jain Monks • Five Core Vows • Abstaining from theft • Also not to take anything not given to him • Only take what one needs to survive • Cannot own property • Conquering sexual desires • Must suppress all carnal desires • Detachment • Not get attached to family, body, personal identity, his name • Everything must be renounce for enlightenment

11. Jain Monks • Live style • Solitary life of self-abnegation • Persistent practice eventually leads to release of one’s soul • Attaining release become arhat “holy man” • Expect to starve meditating under a tree

12. Jain Monks Divisions of Jainism • Digambara – clad in the sky, naked • Believe Mahavira went about of naked • Shvetambara – clad in white, usually a loin cloth • Accepts women

13. Jainism & Lay Person • Monks need people to support them • Provided a way out of caste system • Way out of domination of Brahmins • Can purge enough karma to reach an incarnation that will help them achieve final goal • Jains stay out of agriculture because implies killing life forms • Business men and banking

14. Jainism & Lay Person Twelve Obligations of Lay Person • Ahimsa = vegetarian • Truth telling = no lying • No theft = respect property • Continence = marital fidelity • Detachment = abstain from greed • Limited travel avoid temptation • Limit things • Guarding against avoidable evils

15. Jainism & Lay Person Twelve Obligations of Lay Person • Specific time for meditation • Special period of self-denial • Occasional days as monk • Alms in support of monks

16. Jainism & Lay Person Lay Person & Worship • Who helps person in everyday life? • Gods play no role in movement to enlightenment • In deference to laity, Jains incorporated gods of Hinduism • Jains worship gods and goddesses and own spiritual beings

17. Jainism & Lay Person Lay Person & Worship • Tirthankaras – “ford finders” – teachers help find way to enlightenment • Mahavira not only one to attain enlightenment • Twenty-three previous • Not gods but perform the role of divinities • Have superior power made available to people on cosmic level • Gods and goddess for minor petitions

18. Jainism & Lay Person Lay Person & Worship • Very intricate temples • Statues of Tirthankaras are segregate in front of the temple in special sancuary • Tirthankaras look very similar with maybe a symbol to distinguish them • Hindu gods are available and easily distinguished from one another

19. Jainism & Lay Person Lay Person & Worship • Aksata puja – devotional design making • Make designs, swastikas, three dots, crescent with dot above • Swastika – four arms represent four types of souls: • Animals • Narks – low spirits • Devs – gods • Humans

20. Jainism & Lay Person Lay Person & Worship • Aksata puja – devotional design making • Three dots – three paths toward enlightenment • Studying the example of the Tirthankaras • Knowledge • Character • Crescent with dot above • Crescent symbol for liberation • Dot symbol for nirvana

21. Jainism & Lay Person Lay Person & Worship • Temple • Area of prayer • Reciting prayers • Implements – duster, mirror or lights which represent purity • Main act of worship is anointing or decorating statues of the Tirthankaras • Enter Tirthankaras holy area with veil covering face