Jainism

Mahavira

• “the Great Hero”- the teacher of this age

• Lived c. 599 BCE- 527 BCE (dates are debated)

who said “nonviolence is the highest form of religious conduct”?

Mahavira

how many Jinas or Tirthankars are there?

24

Jinas/Tirthankars

“bridge-builders”

who is considered the last “bridge-builder”?

Mahavira

social divisons

monastics and laypeople

sectarian divisons

Digambaras and Svetambaras

what does legend depict Mahavira as?

a prince of the kshatriya clan

at what age did Mahavira renounce his position?

30

according to Jain records, what was Mahavira’s community of followers?

14,000 monks and 36,000 nuns, 310,000 female and 150,000 male lay followers

Jain cosmology

• universe without beginning or end

• eternal cycles of progress and decline

what happened to Jain teachings after Mahavira’s death?

teachings were not written down, but kept in oral tradition

Jain Saint, Bhadrabahu

• 3rd century BCE

• famine predicted

• led approx 12,000 monks to South India

• lasted 12 years

what two major changes developed upon the return of the Jains?

1) relaxation of the requirement for nudity

2) Jain texts into an official canon of 45 books

Digambaras

“sky-clad” – who had gone south

Svetambaras

“white-clad” – who remained in Bihar

do Digambaras and Svetambaras have the same potential of women for spiritual attainment

no

Digambaras maintain that only an ________ can obtain liveration

Ascetic

Ascetics should refrain from wearing what?

clothes

why cant women achieve liberation in Digambaras?

due to bodily impediment

what does clothing in Digambaras indicate?

• attachment to material goods

• sense of modesty and shame

Digambaras hold that _______ are of inferior status in society and the monastic order

women

do nuns hold a lower status than monks in Svetambaras?

yes

who comprise the majority of nuns and lay practitioners?

women

what did Mahavira not accept?

the traditional caste system with regard to criteria for liberation or spiritual purity

5 auspicious events in the life of Mahavira

1) conception

2) his birth

3) renunciation

4) enlightenment

5) death; release from life

wat did Mahavira become after enlightenment?

a kevalin [one who is liberated]

3 core principles of Jainism

• ahimsa (nonviolence)

• aparigraha (nonattachment)

• anekantwad (relative pluralism)

Anekantwad (relative pluralism)

 The fullness of truth has many facets; allow for this

 Open-mind yields higher illumination

who are the most revered members of Jain society?

Monks and Nuns

another name for laypeople

householders

laypeople

Can nonetheless purify themselves by leading a disciplined life

what type of diet is very important to laypeople?

vegetarian

is marriage considred obligatory?

no

monastic life is __________ for women and considered _______________

permitted; socially acceptable

Mahavira permitted women to become ________

ordained

thousands became nuns under the leaderhsip of who?

Candana

who was the son of the first jina?

Bahubali

where is the colossal statue of Bahubali standing in meditation?

Sravana Belgola

what happens every 12 years at Sravana Belgola?

Digambara ritual bathing of statue or “annointing”

karma

considered material in nature, exists as subtle matter particles which become attracted to the soul

what can negative karmis actions create?

residue and further tendencies

what happens to the soul over multiple incarnations?

it takes on a hue that reflects its karmic state (levels of purity or corruption)

cetegories of karma

Ghatiya and Aghatiya

ghatiya karma

governs the nature of the soul

aghatiya karma

governs/determines the conditions and circumstances of the embodiment

3 categories of reality

• matter (pudgala)

• sentient beings

• neither material nor sentient

  • space

  • time

  • movement

  • rest

what is matter formed from?

atoms

matter

• Begin to form shapes when combine with other atoms (has no solitary frame in space)

• Karma is also material and forms the basis of bondage

do Jains believe that souls were originally pure and became impure/sullied?

no

souls have always been in some state of ________

bondage

is it possible for a soul to become purified of karmic residue?

yes

4 primary qualities that souls are considered to have

• consciousness

• bliss

• energy-potential

• perception

the soul may be considered __________, while the ________ do change

unchanging; qualities

what occurs when a being becomes entrenched in karmic matter?

embodiment

4 forms of existence

• celestial being (or a god)

• human being

• inhabitant of an underworld (darker entities)

• animal or plant

  • nigoda (tiniest creature) almost imperceptible

nigodas

have inly one sense organ; touch

• includes plants

what do other single-celled creatures (souls) comprise?

basis of matter

• earth

• air

• fire

• water

how many sense organs are animals considered to have?

between 2 and 5 (depending on type)

3 principle realms

• celestial world

• middle world

• underworld

subdividions of the realms

• celestial world

  • 14 layers of the Kalpa heavens (those with Jain insight)

  • 16 layers of Kalpa heavens

• Middle world

  • ‘we experience as the earth’s surface

  • terrestrial

• Underworld

  • demons and demi-gods

how many stages and half stages does each cycle of time have?

12 stages and half 6 stages

half-cycle

progress or decline

when did the cycle of time begin?

millions of years ago

what stage of decline are we currently in?

5th stage

Jain teachings and literature

• earliest texts composed in ArdhamÀgadhi

• Others in Prakrit

• Later in vernacular languages such as Tamil, Kannada and Gujarati

• Many texts (medieval period) written in Sanskrit

do Digambaras and Svetambaras agree on what Jain texts are sacred and canonical (sanctioned, orthodox, authoritative)?

no

what are popular in worship and ritual?

books

what happened to the earliest 4 parvas?

lost long ago

Digambara tradition (texts)

• Angas (limbs)

• Anga bahya (outside the aogas)

what happened to digambara texts?

lost by 2nd century CE

what did Dharasena compose that is considered the essence of the purvas for Digambaras?

ØaÇkhaõçagama or Satkhandagama

Sventambara tradition (texts)

• collection called the agama (‘tradition’)

• contain between 32-45 treatises

• grouped into 12 angas

what are Jain practices to reach moksha called?

Jewels

Jewels

• right insight (viewpoint or faith)

• right knowledge

• right conduct

right insight

insight/glimpse of the truth from the right (or clear) viewpoint

right knowledge

leads one on the path to liberation

right conduct

consits of five basic principles of mahavarta

Mahavarta (5 basic principles)

• nonviolence

• truthfulness

• non-stealing

• sexual purity

• non-possesion

Sallekhana

• Fasting till death when death is near

  • A method of dying a religious death

  • May be undertaken by both ascetics and laypeople

is Sallekhana recommended for everyone?

no

is Sallekhana a monastic rule?

no

why isnt Sallekhana considered a form of suicide?

• Voluntary abstention of food

• Involving a restraint from all forms of violence to living beings

• Any other means, denounced by Jains

• Suicide considered an act of ‘passion’; involves uncontrolled passion/violence rather than restraint

Sallekhana then vs now

in earlier history any Jian could perform this rite (rare and difficult), not it requires strict supervision

pratikramaoa

• ‘Turning back’ from one’s transgressions

• Ritual act of confession (six parts)

• Of omission and commission

• Seeks forgiveness

• Ideally twice per day; typically every two weeks or every fourth month