What?
Jainism does not accept a god as creator or ruler. Jainism teaches that we all have ‘godhood’ within us. Godhood can be achieved by any person. How? All living beings have karma which is attached to their soul. It is by shedding karma that we can achieve godliness and reach perfection. The path to this work can be followed by anyone.
Individuals can follow the paths of ‘Right Faith’, ‘Right Knowledge’ and ‘Right Conduct’ to shed karma attached to their souls and reach godhood. Jains who have reached the ultimate level of perfection, have attained spiritual liberation as gods and are omniscience (have a high level of perception). These perfect souls have qualities attributed to a god. Jains worship the perfect beings that have attained omniscience or spiritual liberation as gods.
Jains are the followers of the Jinas (tirthankaras or conquerors of self). They are humans which, through their personal effort and self-realisation, have conquered their desires and passions to become omniscient. They have shed obstructive karma attached to the soul. The Jinas teach a simple path to eternal bliss and spiritual liberation (moksa) for everyone, which they themselves have reached by shedding all karma. Moksa is the state of liberated souls which are no longer in bondage to the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. Jains follow the philosophy and teachings of the Jinas to attain moksa for themselves.
Who founded Jainism?
Jainism is an eternal religion: its origins cannot be traced. Jainism teaches that the universe is eternal, its parts such as living and non-living substances may change form, but they are basically eternal and not created by any Supreme Being or God.
Time rotates in a cosmic cycle (aeon), like a wheel moving clockwise, which rises and falls. In each half of the cosmic time cycles, 24 tirthankaras established the fourfold order. Fourfold order means lay men, lay women, monks and nuns who teach the path of bliss and perfection.
The first tirthankara was Risabhdeva, who is believed to have lived thousands of centuries ago. The 23rd was Parsvanatha (c 870 to 770 BCE). The 24th and last was Vardhamana Mahavira who lived, according to generally accepted dates, from 599 to 527 BCE. Mahavira revived Jainism practice which is still followed today.
When?
Jains believe their religion has always existed. It was, however, revived in the time of Mahavira (late 6th century BCE). The first tirthankara, Risabhadeva, is mentioned in the Rig Veda, the oldest Hindu scripture, which is thought to be over 5,000 years old. Jainism is one of the oldest organised religions in the world.
Where?
Jainism started in India and spread throughout Southeast Asia. Today, about 4 million people in India practice Jainism. There are also Jain communities in the USA, UK, East Africa and other countries around the world. Because of the vow of reverence for all life, Jain ascetics, people who have given up all their possessions and wealth and travel everywhere on foot, are only found in India.
Where did we come from?
Jains believe in a circle view of time, where there is no beginning or end. Souls are eternal, but in case of worldly souls, they are bound by very small particles of matter called karma. Jains believe in the rebirth of a soul until one gets liberation from karmic bondage. It is very difficult to get a human birth. Only humans can conquer their desires and passions and attain spiritual liberation. Even the heavenly beings are be born as humans to attain liberation. We might have come from any destiny: heavenly being, human, animal or plant, or eternal being, our past destiny depended on our attached karma.
Why are we here?
The meaning of life for Jains is to attain godhood or spiritual liberation (moksha) by following the path of Right Faith, Right Knowledge and Right Conduct. We have to conquer our passions and desires by following the spiritual path taught by the Jinas and shed karma to our souls. It may require many rebirths and lives, but with continuous efforts we will ultimately attain spiritual liberation.
Jain Values
Jainism focuses on individual freedom, equality regardless of race, sex, caste and colour, reverence for all life, concern for human and animal welfare and consideration for the environment. Every living being has a soul and all souls are equal.
Jain values are based on non-violence and reverence for all life (ahimsa), non-attachment to the material world (aparigraha), pluralism (anekantavad) and introspection, calmness of self and achieving spiritual liberation through self-effort.
Jainism teaches friendship to all and malice to none. Humans aim for spiritual improvement and a better physical quality of life for all. Compassion, equality, peace and harmony are key principals in Jainism. A key Jain motto is ‘live and help to live’.
Jain values can also be described under three headings:
• Art of Loving: towards all living beings, whether they are human, irrespective of caste, creed, faith, colour, gender and disability; animal, plant and all living elements on the earth.
• Art of Living: to live a spiritually and physically healthy life, full of compassion, equality, peace and harmony. Jains focus their day-to-day living on the Jain principals of justice, affection, introspection and nobility.
• Art of Leaving: live a life detached from power, position and wealth. Jainism does not stop humans earning power, position and wealth, but teaches us to use these for the welfare of others. It also encourages leaving them, at the right time, to lead a life which achieves spiritual liberation.
Those who wish to progress faster on the spiritual path become monks and nuns. Jain monks and nuns take five vows: ahimsa (non-violence and reverence for all life), satya (truth), achaurya (non-stealing), brahmacharya (celibacy) and aparigraha (non-attachment to worldly matters).
Jain monks and nuns in India follow these vows devoutly. They walk barefoot, don’t stay in a place for more than five days (except during the rainy season), have very few possessions, meditate and preach the message of tirthankara (the righteous spiritual path) to lay Jains.