Living Religions

A Brief Introduction

3 rd Edition

Mary Pat Fisher

Chapter 4 Jainism

ahimsa

anekantwad aparigraha

Digambara Jina kevala Svetambara Tirthankaras

Key terms

“All breathing, existing, living, sentient creatures should not be slain, nor treated with violence, nor abused, nor tormented, nor driven away. This is the pure, unchangeable, eternal law....Correctly understanding the law, one should arrive at indifference for the impressions of the senses, and not act on the motives of the world.

Akangara Sutra

Timeline

before c. 777 BCE Series of 23 Tirthankaras 599-527 BCE Life of Mahavira from 3rd century BCE Digambaras and Svetambaras diverge 1914-1997 CE Acharya Tulsi 1970s-1980s CE Jain monks establish Jain centers outside India Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

The Tirthankaras and Ascetic Orders

Mahavira, “The Great Hero,” is Jainism’s major teacher, a contemporary of the Buddha Mahavira is the twenty-fourth of the Tirthankaras, or “fordmakers,” considered by Jains to be great teachers An ascetic path, Jainism is practiced in its fullest by monks and nuns Some adherents will carry the principle of nonviolence to wearing a gauze mask to avoid inhaling insects Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

The Tirthankaras and Ascetic Orders

(cont.) Jain nuns and monks are celibate; they fast, do penance, and learn to endure hardships with indifference

Digambaras Svetambaras

Jainism, an ancient religion of India, holds a modern relevance in its gentle warnings of the importance of caring for all life

Freeing the Soul: The Ethical Pillars

Karma

Considered to be subtle matter that accumulates and clings to us as we think and act Distinguish between destructive and nondestructive types Must be eliminated to attain kevala; three principles – – –

Ahimsa: nonviolence Aparigraha: nonattachment Anekantwad: nonabsolutism

Spiritual Practices

Jainism is practiced in its fullest by monks and nuns Laypeople seek to lead simple lives Their homes are scrupulously clean They are strict vegetarians Medicines are prepared without cruel testing on animals

Spiritual Practices

(cont.) 12 “limited” vows Jain laypeople are to undertake The first 5 are most important

Nonviolence Truthfulness Not taking anything that has not been given Renouncing sexual activity outside of marriage Limiting one’s possessions Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved

Festivals and Pilgrimages

Holy days are celebrated with meditation, renunciation, fasting, scriptural study, and hymns Celebrate Divali but with a 3-day fast and an entire night of reciting hymns and meditating on Mahavira Most important festival is Paryushan Mahaparva, an annual festival of atonement Individuals, families, and groups may also go on pilgrimages to sacred sites

World Jainism

Has survived as a minority religion in India for most of its history Has been carried out of India by several teachers Acharya Tulsi initiated new orders of semi-monks and nuns

The Tirthankaras and Ascetic Orders - Affect-reason

Transcript The Tirthankaras and Ascetic Orders - Affect-reason

Living Religions

A Brief Introduction

Mary Pat Fisher

Chapter 4 Jainism

Key terms

Timeline

The Tirthankaras and Ascetic Orders

The Tirthankaras and Ascetic Orders

Freeing the Soul: The Ethical Pillars

Spiritual Practices

Spiritual Practices

Festivals and Pilgrimages

World Jainism

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