Key Teachings and Concepts of Jainism and Hinduism

Self-effort

Self-effort is to bring one's soul to release from constant reincarnation.

Estimated following of Jainism

Although one of the smallest of the world religions, it has an estimated following of 5 to 6 million.

Conquering in Jainism

This conquering refers to the battles Jains wage within themselves to gain the full knowledge that leads to enlightenment.

Enlightened person in Jainism

The person who has achieved Jain enlightenment is referred to as a Jina.

Symbol of Jainism

Originally, the common symbol of Jainism was the swastika, an ancient Asian symbol with none of the racist overtones one normally associates with this symbol.

Founder of Jainism

Jains believe their religion has no founder and no early history. They believe their religion is eternal with long cycles of decline and reform.

Asceticism

Asceticism is physical denial and mental self-discipline to achieve liberation.

Tirthankaras

Tirthankaras are those who lead the way across the rivers of constant reincarnation.

Mahavira

Mahavira was the 24th Tirthankara of this age but Jains do not call him the founder of their religion.

Death of Mahavira

He died of starvation.

Shvetambar

Shvetambar refers to white clothed monks and nuns.

Digambar

Digambar refers to naked monks symbolizing complete denial of the world.

Liberation in Jainism

The latter group believes a soul in a female body cannot reach liberation while the former group affirms it can.

Political influence of Digambars

Over the next 1,000 years (600 - 1600 CE), the Digambars became advisers to Indian rulers who in turn gave tax revenues, providing them temples, monasteries, and support for Jain writers and artists.

Jain monks' lifestyle

During their time of political influence, Jain monks from both groups gave up wandering asceticism and lived in temples and monasteries.

Modern Jain practices

Today, both groups maintain their temples, distribute their scriptures, participate in social and economic relief for the public, assist widows, and maintain animal shelters to save animals from slaughter based on their strict teachings of nonviolence and vegetarianism.

Holy death process

After a long and fruitful life, a Jain monk begins the process of holy death, which is said to burn off the karma attached to one's soul and allows the soul to end the cycle of continual rebirth and death.

Atheistic Religion

Some suggest Jainism is an atheistic religion because they believe the world is eternal and there is no need for a divine being to create it.

Ford Finders

In Jainism, the path to salvation is shown by 'Ford Finders' and must be accomplished by one's own effort.

Time in Jainism

Time is compared to a turning wheel; spokes going up indicate improvement and liberation from reincarnation is possible, while spokes going down indicate deterioration and no deliverance from reincarnation.

Building Blocks of the World

Jains believe the world consists of five building blocks: soul, matter, space, motion, and rest.

Four Parts of the Universe

Jains see four parts of the universe: 1 - hell; 2 - middle world; 3 - center; 4 - heavenly world.

Eternal Home of Souls

At the top of the cosmos is the eternal home of souls that have permanently escaped the material world.

Jiva and Ajiva

According to Jain teachings, the cosmos is made up of jiva (soul made of living substance) and ajiva (not a soul, made of a substance not alive).

Individual Souls

Every soul (jiva) is eternally individual and not part of one cosmic soul to which they will return.

Purity of Souls

Every soul is pure but becomes impure through time by contact with ajiva or matter.

Karma in Jainism

Karma occurs when ajiva influences the cycle of birth and death; acquired karma can be 'worn away'.

Moksha

Release from reincarnation is called moksha, while nirvana is self-realization, happiness, and freedom of the soul.

Kevalin

A person who is free from reincarnation is called kevalin.

Five Cardinal Virtues

The Jains have five cardinal virtues: 1) Ahimsa - do no harm to any other living being; 2) Speak truth and never deceive others; 3) Do not steal; 4) Do not be possessive; 5) Be Chaste.

Monastic Practices

Monastics live lives of strong self-denial and self-control to liberate their souls; they always walk bare feet to avoid killing or injuring insects.

Holy Death

Holy death is a protected form of religious practice in Jainism.

Meditation Duration

Meditation is done daily and takes 48 minutes, which is twice the number of the 24 tirthankaras.

Namokar Mantra

The main prayer of Jainism called Namokar Mantra is thought to destroy sins and obstacles and help the one who prays to it to move towards liberation.

Jain Funerals

Jains believe that the souls of the dead are reborn immediately after death.

Paryusana Festival

Paryusana is an 8-day festival for Jains to make amends for bad acts of the prior year and shed accumulated karma.

Estimated Number of Jains

Jainism is a distinct Indian religion for more than 2,000 years; the estimated number of Jains worldwide is not provided.

Jainism

Commonly traced to the Sanskrit word for 'conquer'.

Jainism's view on gods

Jainism has no gods because the world is eternal and there is no need for a divine.

Jiva

A soul made of living substance.

Ajiva

Something not a soul made of substance that is not alive.

Ahimsa

The first and fundamental moral command in Jainism, meaning doing no harm to any living being.

Paryusana

The most important Jain festival, used to make amends for bad acts of the prior year.

Jains

Followers of the Conquerors.

Jina

Conqueror Jain who has achieved enlightenment.

Parshvanatha

Reformer in the 600s B.C.E., regarded by Jains as the twenty-third Tirthankara.

Reincarnation

Unhappy passage of the soul at death to another body.

Saman Suttam

Common scripture recognized by all Jain groups, compiled in 1974.

Kalpa

Eon on whole rotation of the wheel of time.

Karma

Deeds and the negative results of deeds; small matter that attaches to the soul and causes it to be reborn after death.

Nirvana

In Jainism, the self-realization, happiness, and freedom of the soul.

Diwali

Indian festival of lights; for Jains, marks the anniversary of Mahavira's death.

JAINA

Federation of Jain Associates in North America, the leading Jain organization in North America.

Hinduism

A religion with little obvious unity, characterized by no human founder, no defined beliefs, no standardized worship practice, and no external authority.

Polytheistic or Monotheistic

There is a debate as to whether to call Hinduism polytheistic or monotheistic, as there are millions of gods, but Hindus see one god behind them all.

Hindus in India

Hindus number around 900 million today in India, including some 200 million Indian 'outcasts'.

Origin of the term Hinduism

The name for Hinduism came from outside the faith and appears around 500 BCE, derived from the Persian word for the Indus River and its inhabitants.

Om

A spoken symbol of Hinduism symbolizing the fundamental hidden reality of the universe.

Swastika

An ancient Indian word meaning 'sign of good fortune'.

Vedas

The ancient Hindu scriptures from 1200 BCE to 800 BCE, a collection of diversified oral traditions.

Heart of Vedic religion

The heart of Vedic religion was sacrifice by means of fire, accompanied by sung praises and requests to the Gods to aid and strengthen the deities.

Upanishads

Teach that the underlying reality is a spiritual essence referred to as Brahman.

Brahman

'World soul,' the foundation of all physical matter, energy, time, space, and being itself.

Atman

A person's innermost self or soul.

Yoga

An ancient practice that yokes the body and mind for religious deliverance, aimed at liberating one's soul from the cycle of reincarnation.

Bhagavad Gita

The best-loved Hindu scripture where Krishna teaches Arjuna about selfless action without desire for reward.

Laws of Manu

Underlying these laws is the affirmation that doing one's duty for an orderly society is necessary for better reincarnation.

Bhakti

Devotion to one's chosen god, a main way of being Hindu.

Mantras

Short sacred formulas used in prayer or meditation, as described in the Tantras.

Mahatma Gandhi

Leader of the 20th century Indian movement for religious reform and independence from Britain, influenced by Jainism and the teachings of Christ.

Gandhi's non-violent method

Drew from Jainism and Christ's teachings on forgiveness, supported by his readings of the Gita.

Partition of India

Gandhi's attempts at independence resulted in the creation of two nations: India and Pakistan.

Hindu fundamentalism

Embodied in the Indian People's Party known as BJP, it has enacted laws restricting efforts at conversion by Muslims and Christians.

Estimated deities in Hinduism

Thousands if not millions of gods.

Brahma

The deity that creates the world.

Vishnu

The deity that maintains the world.

Shiva

The deity that destroys the world.

Dharma

A wide-ranging term for righteousness, law, duty, moral teachings, religion itself or order in the universe.

Samsara

The cycle of reincarnation.

Path of deeds

An active, obedient life; doing ritual actions of worship and meditation; carrying out daily conduct according to one's dharma.

Path of knowledge

Realizing you are living in an unreal world and that the only real is the spirit; brings personal merging with the ultimate unity behind the visible.

Path of devotion

Loving surrender and service to one's main deity.

Caste system

Divides people in society into economic and social groups, giving all people their occupations, level of income, and particular pattern of religious duties.

Brahmin

The top priestly class in the varna system.

Kshatriyas

The warrior and princely varna class.

Vaishyas

The third varna class, the 'common people'.

Shudras

The fourth varna class, 'servants'.

Varna

'Color', a system of classification of people into four main classes.

Outcastes

Also known as Dalits or 'oppressed ones', they are below and outside the class system.

Jati

Refers to the caste into which one is born, dictating rules about food, jobs, marriage, and contact with other jatis.

Stages of life for Hindu males

Traditionally divided into FOUR stages, though fewer people in modern India observe this today.

Student stage

First period of life, in which a Hindu male gains knowledge for caste duties.

Householder stage

Second period of life, in which a Hindu man marries and raises a family.

Forest-dweller stage

Third period of life, in which a Hindu man retires.

Sannyasin

Fourth period of life, in which a Hindu man becomes a renunciant.

Artha

Material success and prosperity.

Kama

Aesthetic pleasure both of the mind and the body (restricted to the householder stage).

Bindi

The mark on a Hindu woman's forehead, referred to as a little drop.

Suttee

Widow burning, where the widow climbs onto her husband's funeral pyre to go to heaven with him, an act of great merit.

Puja

Worship for Hindus, a daily event involving devotional actions of worshipping a god or venerating a human.