Explanation of Jainism

With its origins in India, Jainism is one of the oldest religions in the world. Though Jainism once had millions of followers, it has taken the role as the smallest of the major world religions in recent centuries with about 11 million followers worldwide. Despite the decline in Jainism, this religion's basic principles have been significantly influential to many other religions and idealistic systems.

Jain beliefs indicate that each human soul has the potential of divinity, which they can only obtain through enlightenment or Moksha. Tirthankar or Jina is a human who achieves enlightenment through asceticism and becomes a spiritual guide and teacher for the Jain community. They are not gods. Jains do not believe in existence of God in the Christian sense as a creator, but instead see gods as beings that are superior to humans, though not fully enlightened. Tirthankar means ford maker, someone who acts as a ford across the river of human misery, helping fellow members of the community reach enlightenment. Jina means conqueror and is often referred to those who have reached an enlightened status because they have conquered and liberated themselves from inner demons, anger, pride, desire, etc.

Twenty-Four Tirthankars are born in each half cycle of time, according to the Jains, who believe time, is an infinite with no beginning and no end, but instead eternal cycles of rising and declining. A cycle consists of two rises and two declines, so in between every rise and decline 24 human spirits reach enlightenment and become Tirthankars with 48 Tirthankars in a full cycle. The first Tirthankar Rishabh Dev is said to have lived eight billion years ago and the 24^th and last Tirthankar of this half cycle was Mahavira Swami who lived in 6^th century BC.

The BBC says that Mahavira established the central tenets of Jainism that are still recognized today with his written teachings of Agamas. The triple gems of Jainism, which are true perception, knowledge, and conduct, is overall the path that must be followed in order to move towards liberation (moksha) from the universal cycle of birth and death (samsara).

Jainism promotes spiritual development through all of its philosophies and practices. The Five Mahavrates or five great vows are the first practices. The Jain belief that all living things, animal, plants, and human beings contain living souls which are considered of equal value and deserve equal respect is very evident in the five great vows. Ahimsa or non-violence is said to be the heart of Jain ethics because it promotes the protection of the universe. Non-violence, includes the avoidance of harm of any living deed, including animals and plants. Jains are strict vegetarians for this reason.

Aparigraha is the belief that possessions are obstacles to enlightenment. Because of this Jain monks have virtually no possessions. For many centuries, Jain monks were not even allowed to possess religious books, including the texts and scriptures of Mahavira. Mahavira's scriptures had to be memorized and passed on through generations, which lead to the loss and corruption of many of his words. It was not until a famine which killed off a large portion of the Jain monks that they were able to write and carry the religious texts with them, however disputes over the authenticity of scripture lead to the division of Jain followers into several sects.

Brahmacarya is the belief of abstinence because sexual indulgences, lust, and desire are all inner demons that get in the way of enlightenment. Satya and Asteya are the vows that promote honesty and trust. The lay Jain code is a code of conduct for non-monastic Jains and is stricter than that of other faiths, but not as strict as the code adopted for monks and nuns. Jain monks and nuns also follow the eight virtues known collectively as Ashta Pravachan Mata. Ashta Pravachan Mata includes the Three Guptis and Five Samitis.

The Three Gupties are Mana Gupti, control of the mind, Vacana Gupti, control of speech, and Kaya Gupti, the control of body, which promote self-control and prohibit sinful deeds. Mana Gupti calls for the safeguarding of one's mind from impure thoughts and devotion to medidation. Vacana Gupti ensures that one's words are never foul, harmful, or senseless. Kaya Gupti is the careful movement of one's body, so to not hurt or kill innocent life, such as bugs or plants, and to also portray decent manners.

The Five Samitis promotes deepened self-awareness, making one's actions pure and faultless. The Five Samitis include Iriya, Bhasa, Esnna, Adana Nikshepana, Utarga. Iriya Samiti is the regulation of walking, which is much like Kaya Gupti where one must carefully move to prevent pain or death to living beings. Bhasa Samiti is the regulation of speech. The regulation of speech emphasizes careful articulation and avoiding the eight faults of speech, anger, pride, deceit, greed, laughter, fear, gossip, and slander. Esnna Samiti is the regulation of begging, which states monks should search and obtain pure food and articles and shy away from anything that is not a necessity. Adana Nikshepana Samiti is the regulation of taking or keeping. One should lay down or take up article carefully so not to danger or harm small creatures and insects. Utsarga Samiti regulates disposal and the disposing of waste, such as mucus or urine should be done in solitary in a proper manner.

All these things combined help one achieve absolute knowledge or Kevala Jñāna the highest form of knowledge a soul can attain. It represents extreme self-awareness and spirituality and lacks the delusional errors of other types of knowledge. One becomes engrossed in their true self and free from all earthly desires. Only after obtaining Kevala Jñāna can one gain Moksa, which liberates one's soul from the constant cycle of life and death and allows their immortal self to live in a state of infinite bliss and knowledge.