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Mahavira
& Jainism
By
Mr D. M. Jain
Jainism is an ancient religious and
philosophical tradition of India. Jains are the sixth large
religious community of India. There are more than three
million Indian Jains. As a wealthy religious community, Jains
have had a powerful influence on the life and the history of
the Indian subcontinent. There are also communities of Jains
in East Africa (mainly Kenya), Europe (mainly England), and
the United States and Canada. The Jain religion takes its name
from the Jina (meaning victor or conqueror), a title given to
24 great teachers called Tirthankaras (ford-makers). These
teachers demonstrated and taught the Jain path of purity and
peace which leads to the highest spiritual liberation. Jainism
may have begun in the Indus Valley civilization around 3000
B.C. Little is known about the first 22 teachers. The last
two, Parsva (about 877-777 B.C.) and Mahavira (about 599-527
B.C.), lived and taught in northeastern India. They gained
considerable followings. Mahavira ("Great Hero"), the last of
these great teachers, lived at the same time as the
Buddha.
Like Buddha, Mahavira rejected the two Hindu
notions of the social system of caste (divisions in the Hindu
social systems) and the rituals of sacrifice. He was a prince,
but left his home at the age of 30 to become an ascetic (a
religious person who practices self-denial). He plucked out
his hair, discarded his clothes, and wandered for 121/2 years,
fasting and practicing severe penances in his search for
truth. At the age of 42 he attend enlightment (a state of
divine experience, or understanding ultimate truth). For the
next 30 years he traveled across northern India, teaching an
austerely ascetic path to purity and peace. The Kalpa Sutra, a
Jain book that records the lives of the teachers, records that
he died at Pava (modern Bihar) at the age of 72. He left more
than 500,000 followers, including 50,000 monks and nuns. Sects
and teaching. Two major sects, or groups, developed within
Jainism after the death of Mahavira. The Digambara (atmosphere
- clad, or naked) and the Svetambara (white-clad) split about
360 B.C. A severe famine caused one group of Jain ascetics to
migrate south. When this naked southern Jains returned north,
the northern monks had begun to wear a piece of cloth over
their genitals. A dispute followed, and the division was fixed
by A.D. 79 or 82. Today most Jains in southern India follow
the Digambara sects, while most on the north follow Svetambara
sects.
Jain Belief
Jains believe that
all human beings, animals, insects, plants, and even earth,
stones, fire, water and air have living souls (jiva). Jains
believe that the soul in its pure state is omniscient
(all-knowing). Through contact with matter (ajiva) in this
world, the soul becomes polluted and weighed down. Jains think
of karma as fine "atomic particles" which cling to the soul
(see KARMA). Deeds of Violence, greed, selfishness,
dishonesty, sexual misconduct, and covetousness obscure the
soul. Acts of gentleness and penance lighten and liberate it.
Monks and nuns represent the ideal of Jainism. Monks own no
property except a broom, simple robes, bowels and food, and
walking sticks. They may not live in buildings except for
brief period, and they must beg for all that food. They
perform severe penances to "burn out" the karmic matter
weighing down the soul. They believe this lightens and frees
the soul, so that it can rise to a state of perfect peace and
purity.
The Three Jewels
To attain the
above state, Jains must pursue the "three jewels" of Right
Faith, Right Knowledge and Right Conduct. At the heart of
Right Conduct for all Jains lie five vows. These are ahimsa,
non-violence or non-injury; Satya, speaking the truth; asteya,
not taking anything which have not been given; brahmacharya,
chastity; and aparigraha, nonpossession or detachment from
people, places, and things. Other members of the Jain
community are the laity (people who are not monks or nuns).
They assist the monks and nuns to live out their vows
perfectly.
Religious Vows
Jains can
undertake business and other activities, while attempting to
fulfill their religious vows as best they can. Jains in the
community. Jains vow not to kill any living creature. Monks
and nuns carry brooms to sweep all surfaces to avoid cursing
insects accidentally. The vow of ahimsa, or non-violence, has
always been important to Jains. They keep to a vegetarian
diet, and only do work which avoids any form of killing.
Ahimsa for Jains requires positive acts of kindness,
compassion and charity. In India Jains use their wealth to set
up and run hospitals and clinics for both humans and animals.
They also establish schools and colleges, rest houses and
almshouses for peoples of all castes and creeds.
Temples and Festivals
Wealthy Jains have
made major contribution to education and to art in India. Jain
temples are among some of the most beautiful in India. These
temples are often the focus of pilgrimages, particularly in
the states or Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madya Pradesh,
and Karnataka in western India. Festivals. The greatest Jain
Festival, paryusana, takes place over an 8-10 days period
about the end of August or the beginning of September. It is a
time of fasting, repentance, and universal goodwill. On the
last day, Samvatsari, Jains visit friends and relatives, to
seek forgiveness for any harm or injury committed during the
previous year. The other important modern festival for Jains
is Mahavira Jayanti, which falls in March or April and is
marked by meetings and processions celebrating Mahavira's
birthday. Fasting until death. Jains have an unusual attitude
to death. A devout Jain who feels ready for death takes the
vow of sallekhana. Supervised by monks and nuns, he or she
meets a death through the controlled process of
fasting.
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Mail
to : Ahimsa Foundation
www.jainsamaj.org
R21012
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