 Founder
/ Major Figures
- Lord Mahavir, founder and teacher, who lived
in Hindu India in the sixth century BCE.
Major Beliefs Mahavir
taught his followers that they can attain a state of perfect enlightenment if
they follow the discipline that he set forth. Human beings find themselves
in a universe that is eternal, uncreated, and they, destined to be born, to live
and to die, are a part of the never ending process of growth, development, death
and rebirth. At each stage of rebirth Jains may grow closer to perfection
until they break free of the ongoing cycle of cause and effect, or the laws of
nature. Then they achieve an indescribable state of perfect bliss. There
is a close affinity between the Jain religion and Hinduism. However, Jains do
not believe in God or gods. It is a system in which the human being is capable
alone of achieving a good life. To do this they must follow certain rules
or principles: - Non-violence: Jains consider this to be so important
as to call it "the supreme religion". Nonviolence is extended to thought,
words and deeds, and involves the protection of the life of all living creatures.
Nonviolence includes:
- A strict vegetarian diet
- Restraining
the consumption of earth's resources
- Abstaining from quarreling, fighting,
criticizing, backbiting and dishonesty in financial matters.
- Nonviolence
in Jain practice is not, however, an absolute law. It is accepted that people
must defend themselves in cases of aggression.
- Speaking
the truth
- Sexual purity
- Abstaining from theft
- Detachment
from worldly possessions
These principles were laid down for all
adherents of the religion, men and women receiving equal status. There
is no clergy in Jainism, but for those who go more deeply into the religion there
exist orders of monks and nuns. These individuals pursue the life of righteousness
with great strictness, even to the point of ascetic self-denial.
Scripture
/ Sacred Writings Jain scriptures, a vast literature of oral
stories, poetry, biographies and teachings, were gathered at various times in
early history and codified and written down in definitive form about 450 CE. They
were written in a dialect of the Sanskrit language but now exist in translation.
Worship
and Spiritual PracticeWhen Jains worship they examine themselves,
reflect on their progress in spiritual development, and contemplate the example
of Mahavir. They pray in the sense of expressing their aspirations for
a better life and voicing their regret for failure. The images of the teachers
in the place of worship remind those who pray of the examples that are set before
them of praiseworthy behavior. Also they are reminded of the great Jain principle
of mutual dependence, or interdependence, whereby all living things are bound
together for support. In everyday life Jains often repeat the following
act of obeisance, in the Hindi language, called the Universal Prayer: I
bow to the ever-perfect victors.
I bow to the liberated souls.
I bow to
the leaders of the Jain order.
I bow to the learned teachers.
I bow to the
saints and sages everywhere in the world.
This five-fold obeisance erases all
sins.
Amongst all that is auspicious, this is the foremost.
(Adapted
from a souvenir booklet of the Jain Center of Greater Hartford)
In
addition to visits to the sanctum in the Hindu temple. Jains often also pray and
meditate in their homes and meet in a study circle each month.
History
Jains revere as their founder and teacher, Lord Mahavir, who
lived in Hindu India in the sixth century BCE. This teacher was the last
in a line of twenty-four great teachers whose times stretch back thousands of
years into pre-history. Jains believe that these twenty-four individuals
attained perfect knowledge and a degree of spiritual development that sets them
apart from all other people.
Calendar The
Jain calendar is punctuated with several festivals, two of them commemorating
first the birth of Lord Mahavir, their revered teacher, and the other remembering
his achievement of release from the cycle of reincarnation. The third and
most important festival is a time of reflection on one's spiritual and moral journey.
Special recitations of holy texts are heard, fasting for eight days is observed
and people seek forgiveness from all whom they have offended during the previous
year.
Administration and Secular Life Jains
number as many as 100,000 in the United States and have built over a hundred centers
and temples. The national organization called JAINA, promotes unity and friendship
among all Jains of North America. Although Jains do not number as one of
the larger religions, being from four to six million worldwide, they are one of
the oldest. They live mostly in India and the languages and cultures of that land
still mark the lives of Jains. They are known to be people with a strong
social consciousness. In India they are noted for maintaining hospitals for aged
and injured animals. Jains are not concerned about seeking converts to
their way, and show tolerance toward other religions, since one of their main
teachings it the relative nature of truth, according to which any number of different
viewpoints are possible depending on where, how, and when a particular belief
is expressed.
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