JAINISM CONCISELY

[Manish Modi]

​ॐ ह्रीं श्रीपार्श्वनाथाय नमः

Auṃ Hrīṃ ŚrīPārśvanāthāya Namaḥ

Jay Jinendra

JAINISM CONCISELY

By Manish Modi

http://www.navelgazing.net/2016/11/jainism-concisely-by-manish-modi.html

• Jainism is one of the oldest faiths in the world and traces its roots to the most ancient times.
  
  

• Jains recognise 24 Jinas or Tirthankaras {fordmakers who have conquered the senses and are beyond all desire} who promulgate the eternal teachings of nonviolence, truth, non-stealing, celibacy and non-possessiveness.
  
  

• Each of the 24 Tirthankaras taught the path of liberation, giving the same message of nonviolence and self control.
  
  

• Tirthankara Adinatha was the first Tirthankara of this era, and Tirthankara Mahavira was the last one of this era.
  
  

• Jains pay obeisance to the Tirthankaras as they are liberated beings who have shown the path of liberation to the world. Jains venerate the Tirthankaras in order to imbibe their spiritual qualities, chiefly their attribute of vitaraga, or supreme detachment.
  
  

• Jainism sees the soul and body as two distinct entities.
  
  

• The soul is eternal and the body is impermanent.
  
  

• Sentient soul and insentient matter come together when the soul is encumbered by passions, attracting fine particles of insentient matter called karmas, which cause worldly bondage.
  
  

• Jainism states that the quest of each earth bound soul is the dissociation of all karmas, shedding all insentient matter, resulting in liberation, and that the attainment of this enlightened detachment is of the nature of pure bliss.
  
  

• Jainism teaches the path whereby the soul can shed this insentient matter, ridding itself of temporal bondage. Only a soul free from all karma may attain its intrinsic quality of eternal bliss, which is its own true nature, merely obscured and impeded by the presence of karmas.
  
  

• This path entails accomplishing enlightened perception, knowledge, conduct and penance.
  
  

• Those who walk this path without any compromise are known as ascetics. They are fully committed to the goal of liberation.
  
  

• Those who follow this path partially are known as laypersons. While they have faith in the teachings of the Jinas, they are not fully committed to the path shown by the Jinas. They realise the importance of liberation and the flawed, impermanent and vexing nature of temporal pleasures, they are unable to commit themselves fully to the goal of liberation. Hence, they are the laity, also known as grihastha, shravaka, or householders.
  
  

• Jains do not believe in an omnipotent being who runs the universe  according to his/her wishes. Jains believe in personal responsibility and hold each living being responsible for his own acts of mind, speech and body.
  
  

• Jains attach great importance to rational thinking and personal realisation, rather than blindly following rituals.
  
  

• Jains place great emphasis on personal conduct and hold each person responsible for all her/his acts of mind, speech and body.
  
  

• Jains hold that each person is imminently capable of attaining liberation.
  
  

• Jains realize that all souls are equal and thus do not subscribe to any notions of inequality between human beings on the basis of gender, race, religion, caste, nationality and ethnicity.
  
  

• Jains believe in the sanctity of all life forms and the right of each living being to live life free from fear. Hence, in Jainism, the greatest gift one may give is abhaya dana, the right to live without the fear of violence.
  
  

• The earliest Jain texts exhort Jains to treat all life forms with respect, and emphasise that all plants and vegetation have life and therefore one should ensure that one renders the least possible harm to them in one's life.
  
  

• This is why Jains have traditionally been lacto-vegetarians. Those Jains, who are aware of the cruelty caused to cows by today’s dairy industry, have turned to veganism. Veganism is closer to the principles of Bhagavan Mahavira than traditional lacto-vegetarianism.
  
  

• Traditionally, Jains do not wear silk, leather or pearls, as these are obtained after exerting great cruelty to living beings.
  
  

• Jainism sees the earth, water, air and fire as one-sensed beings and hence Jains are expected to minimise the harm they cause to the earth, water resources, the air and the environment.
  
  

• Jainism propagates respect for life in all its myriad forms and hence Jains are expected to not commit any activities that cause needless harm to nature. This is called the anarthadanda vrata. Hence, Jainism is probably the oldest faith to prevail upon its followers to lead simple eco-friendly lives.
  
  

• Anyone can be a Jain. There is no formal training or initiation. Jainism is not restricted to any race or nationality or species. Anyone who follows the teachings of the Jinas is a Jain.
  
  

• This entails conquering one's passions, controlling one's desire for sensual gratification and accepting responsibility for one's own thoughts, words and deeds.
  
  

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Manish Modi is a bookseller, publisher, translator and public speaker. He has translated over 70 ancient and medieval Jain texts and hymns from Prakrit and Sanskrit into English.