Jainism: Primer

8/14/2019 Jainism: Primer

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SignSign


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JAIN SYMBOL


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SYMBOLS ANDSYMBOLS AND IMAGESIMAGES

Adopted 1937 Swastika: Four types of birthinto witch a sole canreincarnate

Stylized hand: Gesture of blessing

and protection

Wheel of 24 spokes: Represents Jainsinside says ahimsathe essence of Jainsethnical teachings

Out side shape: Jains descriptionOf the shape of the

Universe. A personstanding with feetapart and armsrested on both hips


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JAIN SYMBOLJAIN SYMBOL

The outline of the symbol isdefined as the universe (Lok).The raised hand means stop. Theword in the center of the wheel is"Ahimsa".The four arms of the swastikaremind us that during the cyclesof birth and deathThe three dots above the swastikarepresent the three jewels of Jainism: Samyak Darshan (RightFaith), Samyak Jnan (RightKnowledge), and Samyak Charitra(Right Conduct).At the very top part of the Jain


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Jainism in SOUTH INDIAJainism in SOUTH INDIA

Paintings of Sithannavasaland few other rocks found

in Tamil Nadu depictedAhimsaAbout 20 percent of Tamilsand Kannadigas wereJains in 6 th and 7 th Centuries. No more today.Naladiyars,

Silappathigaram andManimegali are jainclassical works inTamil, telling aboutJainism in South India.Today, Followed by 3 - 4million people mostly in

North India


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JainismJainism

Life affirming butworld-denyingSeeks to release thesoul from the round of rebirth, to liberate spiritfrom matter

Ahimsa non-violence is the hallmark of thisspiritual disciplineNo creator godSpiritual life is primarilymoral rather thanritualistic


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The founders of JainismThe founders of Jainism

24 Tirthankaras (ford maker) :great teachers engraved in arock in Tamil Nadu (Ginge)Going back countlessthousands of years beforerecorded historyMahavira (great hero) the24th and final Tirthankara reformer of ancient JainismNataputta VardhamanaLived 599 - 527 BCE innortheast India

30 years as student (never married) 12 years as ascetic renunciant 30 years as spiritual teacher

( tirthankara )


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Jain Beliefs: Spiritual BeingsJain Beliefs: Spiritual Beings

Jina : (conqueror) an enlightenedbeing who has conqueredmaterial existence and releasedthe soul from the round of rebirthTirthankara : a jina who is agreat spiritual teacherSiddha : a liberated soulThe goal of Jainism : to becomea Jina , thus freeing ones soulfrom the material realm

we can all become gods but these godsdo not intervene or respond topetitionary prayer

o Microscopic life-forms trapped inmatter (water beings, rockbeings, fire beings, air beings)

This bas-relief at Kazhugumalai has threeThis bas-relief at Kazhugumalai has threerows of Jaina Tirthankaras seated on lotusrows of Jaina Tirthankaras seated on lotus

pedestals. pedestals.


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Jain Beliefs:Jain Beliefs: Jiva Jiva & & Ajiva Ajiva

Jiva = life-givingspirit (soul)

Ajiva = inert/non-living matterAll living beingscontain soul and areconsidered Jiva(soul trapped inmatter): Humans Animals Plants


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Jain Beliefs:Jain Beliefs:KarmaKarma & Reincarnation& Reincarnation

Karma : impurity of thesoul that keeps the soulbound to the cycle of rebirth into matterKarma is built-up throughactions in this world:thoughts, words, deeds,attitudesReduce and eliminatekarma so as to achievemoksha ( nirvana )release of the soul fromthe cycles of rebirth


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Jain practices: Spiritual DisciplineJain practices: Spiritual Discipline

Ahimsa : non-violence to any and all life forms.Intent to do no harm. Strict vegans (avoid all

meat and animal products, including milk, eggs,fish and even avoid root vegetables). Aparigraha : non-attachment Anekantwad : non-hatredAsceticism : to live a monastic life, detachedfrom this world and society a life of poverty andchastity


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TRUE WOODTRUE WOODCUTTER CUTTER There was a poor man named Mangal.In the day he would cut wood and in

the evening he would go to the marketwith the wood. After selling the wood,with the money earned he could go tothe grocery to purchase some thingsfor his house. He was satisfied with hisincome. One day he went to the forest

to cut wood and climbed a tree at theriver bank. While he was cutting thebranch, his axe fell into the river.Mangal came down from the tree and

jumped into the river to find his axe,but he did not find his axe. He wasvery sad and cried. He had no moneyto buy an other axe and it was difficultfor him to feed his family without anymoney.


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TRUE WOODTRUE WOODCUTTER CUTTER

The Goddess of the forest took pity on himand went towards him and said,"Why are

you crying my son?" Mangal said, "My axefell into the water and how shall I do mywork now?" The Goddess said, "Do notweep, I will bring your axe from the river".So the Goddess jumped into the river andcame out with a gold axe. She askedMangal is this your axe? Mangal said," Nothis is not my axe. I am a poor man so how

I can have gold axe?" The Goddess again jumped into the river and came out with asilver axe and asked him," Is this youraxe?" But Mangal replied, "No this is not myaxe." The Goddess jumped into the river forthird time and came out with an iron axe.Now Mangal was very happy because it washis very own axe. The Goddess also becamehappy with Mangal truthfulness. TheGoddess said," I am very happy with yourhonesty and because of that you can takethe gold and the silver axe too. Now Mangalwas not poor but rich.


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Jain Monastics: Two major sectsJain Monastics: Two major sects

Digambara (skyclad) Wear no clothes Live alone or in small

groups in the forests Admit only men

Svetambara (whiteclad) Wear white robes Live in community Admit both men and

women Some wear face masks

to protect minute life

forms from harm


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Five Monastic Vows:Five Monastic Vows:

Ahimsa : non-violence(do not harm others)

Satya : truth (do notlie)

Achaurya : non-stealing

Brahmacharya :celibacy & chastity Aparigraha : non-attachment/non-ownership (poverty


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THIEF MEETSTHIEF MEETSTHIEFTHIEFA thief stole a horse and went tothe market to sell it. One customer

asked the price of the horse. Thethief asked him," How much willyou give?" The customer said, "Ican give four hundred rupees forit". The thief didn't know that thecustomer was also a thief. Thecustomer thought that this horse

was stolen. So he asked him thathe would like to try the horsebefore he could buy it. He agreed tolet him try. The customer took thehorse and run away without paying.When people asked him for howmuch he sold the horse, he wouldsay," At the same price what I got itfor. "He had stolen the horsetherefore it went without anyprice".


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RESULT OF VEGETARIANISMRESULT OF VEGETARIANISM

According to Jainism there liveda hunter in the forest. Oncethere came a Digamber Saint .He preached the people aboutvegetarianism. Most peopletook an oath not to eat meat intheir life. When he asked thehunter to leave the eating of meat, the hunter said, "Lord,the meat is our main food andwe can't live without it". At theend he decided to leave eatingmeat. Once he became very ill.The doctor advised him to eatmeat as medicine. He refusedand did not take meat becauseof his oath. He was born in theheaven. So we should remain

pure vegetarians and never eat meat.


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LayLay JainismJainism : religious practices: religious practices

Make pilgrimages tosacred sites (related tothe lives of the

Tirthankaras )Attend templesRevere the TirthankarasObserve holy days: Mahavir Jayanti (April;

commemorating the birth of Mahavira)

Paryushana Parva (Aug. Sept.; a festival of fastingand forgiveness)

Mahavir Nirvan (Diwali)(Oct. Nov.;commemorates theliberation [death] of Mahavira)


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Bhagwan MahavirBhagwan Mahavir

"If you kill someone, itis yourself you kill.

If you overpowersomeone, it is yourself you overpower.If you torment someone, it is yourself you

torment.If you harm someone,it is yourself youharm."


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Thank youThank you


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JainismJainism on the Web:on the Web:

Jainworld.com: http://www.jainworld.com/Jainism Literature Center (from HarvardUniversitys Pluralism Project): http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~pluralsm/affiliates/ jainism /Fundamentals of Jainism :http://www.angelfire.com/co/ jainism /Jainism4u.com:http://www.marwaris.com/jain4u.htmJainism Heritage Centres, your guide to Jainheritage centres across the globe: http://www.jainheritagecentres.com

Jainism: Primer

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