Indian History: Notes on Jainism for UPSC Examinations
Jainism originated centuries before Buddhism but was revived only by Mahavira. This religion is one of the oldest and there are no evidences of its origin.
About Mahavira
Mahavira, also known as Vardhamana, Vira, Viraprabhu, Sanmati, Ativira, Gnatputra (in Tamil Texts) and Nigantha Nātaputta (in Pali canon), was 24th Tirthankar of Jainism. He was born in 599 BC as son of King Siddartha and Queen Trishala. His birth day falls in month of Chaitra (March or April).
His birthplace Kundagrama is located in Muzaffarpur district of Bihar. His father King Siddarth was head of Gyatrika Kshtriyas amd his mother mother Trishla was a Licchhavi princess and sister of ruler Chetak. Chetaka’s daughter later married powerful King of Magadha, Bimbisara. Mahavira’s Gotra was Kashyapa. Family of Mahavira was called in Sanskrit Jnatri and in Prakrit Naata. The male members of the family were called Jnatriputras or Naataputtas.
At the age of 30, Mahavira renounced the royal life, gave up worldly possessions and spent 12 years as ascetic, mostly in meditation. Once he attained Kevalya Gyana (supreme knowledge), he devoted rest of his life preaching the eternal truth and spiritual freedom to people across India. He attained Nirvana at Pavapuri (current Nalanda district) at the age of 72 years.
As per Shwetambara traditions, he was married to Yasoda, who had given birth to his daughter Anojja or Priyadarsana. Priyadarsana later married to Jamali, who was also a disciple of Mahavira. As per Digambara tradition, Mahavira was never married.
Jain Philosophy
Jainism, like Buddhism is non-theistic. It does not acknowledge existence of a supreme divine creator. This is different from Vedic religion which is monotheistic and believes in existence of a divine creator of this universe.
Nine Tattvas (Nine truths)
According to Jainism, there are nine truths or realities (Nav-tattva) viz. Soul (Jiva), matter (Ajiva), merit (Punya), demerit or sin (Papa), influx of karma (Asrava), Stoppage of Karmic matter (Samvara), Bondage (Bandha), shredding of karmic matter (nirjara) and Liberation (Moksha).
Soul (Jiva)
Apart from non-belief in a supreme divine creator, another remarking feature of Jain philosophy is that it believes in independent existence of soul and matter. The soul or Jiva is the conscious substance which is different in different humans and animals. The number of Jivas is infinite. Soul is engaged in worldly affairs good or bad karma and takes successive births as per the stock of its karma. Thus, it is the Jiva which enjoys the fruits of karma and thus Jiva is also called Bhokta.
Non-soul (Ajiva)
Ajiva is the opposite of jiva comprising of dharma, adharma, akash, pudgala and kala substances, of these, the first three (medium of motion, medium of rest, space or medium of accommodation are formless (amurta) and indivisible wholes. The forth substance matter is defined as what is possessed of the qualities of touch, taste, colour and smell. Time is atomic in dimension and the kala atoms pervade the whole cosmic space.
Punya and Papa
Punya is the consequence of good deeds. There are nine ways to it. Papa is consequence of bad deeds. Papa is major factor that results in bondage of Jiva. Injury or harm to other living beings is one of the most heinous papa in Jainism.
Asrava {Influx of Karma}
Asrava denotes the inflow of karmic matter by the soul. Just as water flows into a boat through a hole, so the karmic matter flows through asrava into the soul. The nature of activity is shubha (meritorious) or ashubha (demeritorious). The principle “like causes produce like results” is accepted as a determining feature of the Jain doctrine of karma.
Samvara (stoppage of karmic matter)
Samvara means stopping, controlling or ceasing of inflow of karmic matter into the soul. Smavara is achieved through self control, restrained movement, virtues, contemplation and monastic conduct.
Bandha (bondage)
Bandha is the union of jiva with pudgala (matter) or soul with non-soul particles. The matter is determined by five causes, namely wrong belief, attachment, carelessness, passions and activity.
Nirjara (shedding the karmic matter)
Nirjara means shedding off, drying up or destruction. Nirjara is to destroy and burn up accumulated karma.
Moksha (liberation)
Moksha is the supreme stage of spiritual attainment when all causes of bondage having been uprooted, the soul is freed from karmic matter. It is a stage of peace, perfect faith, perfect knowledge, and a stage of having achieved siddhi. Moksha is attained though right faith, right knowledge and right conduct (Tri-ratna).
For the perfection of right conduct, five kind of vows (Mahavratas) recommended viz. Non-violence (ahimsa), truthfulness (satya), non-stealing (asteya), chastity (brahmacharya) and no greed (aparigraha).
Summary
Every living being has a soul. Every soul is potentially divine, with innate qualities of infinite knowledge, perception, power, and bliss. However, these qualities are masked by its karmas. Therefore, Jains think of every living being as themselves, harming no one and be kind to all living beings. This is the basis of non-violence in Jainism. Every soul is born as a celestial, human, sub-human or hellish being according to its own karmas. Every soul is the architect of its own life, here or hereafter. When a soul is freed from karmas, it becomes free and attains divine consciousness, experiencing infinite knowledge, perception, power, and bliss.
Non-violence in Jainism
Ahimsa is such a cardinal principle of Jainism that it is called beginning and the end of Jain Religion. Ahimsa means not to kill or hurt any living being by body, mind or speech. This vrata or vow is possible for only those who dedicate their whole life on the basis of Mahavratas and who have renounced their household life.
Non-possession
Possession of worldly things perpetrates in violence. Desire to get more is the root cause of violence and bondage of soul with karma. Thus, non-possession is the second cardinal principle of Jainism.
Anekantavad
Philosophically an important contribution of Jainism is the doctrine of Anekantavad (non-absolutism). As per this, reality can be examined from many standpoints. The same thing can be describe from at least seven standpoints and all can be equally true. This particular school promotes tolerance of contrary opinions among the theologists and philosophers.
Six Dravyas of Jain Cosmology
As per Jain theory, the world is not not created, maintained, or destroyed by a supreme, divine deity but functions according to the universal law of cyclic existence. It is made of six dravyas as follows:
- Jiva and Ajiva: All living and Non-living substances.
- Pudagala: This means matter
- Dharma-Tattva: This means Principle of Motion
- Adharma tattva: This means principle of Rest
- Akasa: This means space
- Kala: This means time.
Samsāra, as per Jain faith is worldly life characterized by continuous rebirths and reincarnations in various realms of existence. The mundane existence is full of suffering and misery and hence is worth renunciation. Moksa is the only liberation from Samsāra.
Universal Truth or Kevalya Gyana
Jain doctrine is established upon undying, universal truths. Kevalya Gyana is absolute knowledge and is the highest form of knowledge that a soul can attain. A person who has attained Kevala Gyana is called a Kevalin. To get a status of a Jina, attaining Kevalagyana is required first.
Jain Sects
Jain Samgha could not maintain its unity after 200 years of Mahavira’s Parinirvana. It split in Digambara sect and Shwetambara Sect during the Mauryan Era. The Digambara sect observed the tenets of religion strictly and the monks remained naked. Shwetambara sect were liberal and they wore white clothes.
Besides monastic nudity, the other beliefs of the Digambaras that are different from the Shvetambaras are as follows:
- The perfect saint (kevalin) does not need food to stay alive
- Mahavira never married;
- No woman can reach moksha without being reborn as a man
- All tirthankaras, when rendered as images, must be portrayed as naked, without ornaments, and with downcast eyes
Moreover, the Digambara do not recognize the Shwetambara canon of religious texts but maintain that the early literature was gradually forgotten and lost completely by the second century ad.
Jain Sangeeti
The conferences of Jainism are called Jain Sangeeti. The first jain Sangeeti was convened in 300 BC and this conference was headed by Sthoolbhadra. The second Jain Sangeeti was called in 512 AD and was held in Vallabhi Gujarat. The chairman was Devardhi Kshammaramana.
Jain Symbol
Jain Emblem or Jain Symbol was adopted in 1975, at the auspicious occasion of 2500th Nirvana anniversary of Lord Mahavira. This emblem is used in almost all of the Jain magazines, wedding invitation cards, Jain festival cards, and every magazine with links to events related to Jain society. Use of this emblem helps to create a culture showing dedication and trust for the religion and the values that are represented by the emblem. The pic shows the features of the Jain emblem.
Navakar Mantra
Navakar Mantra is the fundamental prayer in Jainism and can be recited at any time of the day. Praying by reciting this mantra, the devotee bows with respect to liberated souls still in human form (Arihantas), fully liberated souls (Siddhas), spiritual leaders (Acharyas), teachers (Upadyayas) and all the monks. By saluting them, Jains receive inspiration from them to follow their path to achieve true bliss and total freedom from the karmas binding their souls. In this main prayer, Jains do not ask for any favours or material benefits. This mantra serves as a simple gesture of deep respect towards beings who are more spiritually advanced. The mantra also reminds followers of the ultimate goal, nirvana or moksha
Jain Literature
Jain Literature is called Jain Agamas. They are canonical texts of Jainism based on Mahavira’s teachings. There are in all 45 texts.
Royal Patrons of Jainism
- Asoka’s Grandson Samprati
- King Kharvela of Orissa: set up jain rock cut cave.
- Gangs, Kadambs, Chalukyas, Rastrakutas had patronized Jainism.
- King Amoghavarsha of Rastrakuta dynasty became a Jain Monk.
- The Chalukyan period rock cut caves at badami and aihole have the figures of Jain Tirthankaras.
- Samatabhadra in Kanchi preached this religion.
- The Dilwara Jain temples at Mount Abu were built by Chalukya Dynasty kings between 11 to 13th
Other Notable Trivias
- The Jain religion professes peace and non-violence and this was the major reason that mercantile community was attracted towards this religion.
- Chandragupta Maurya had abdicated his throne towards the end of his life and became an ascetic under the Jain saint Bhadrabahu. He migrated to Karnataka and spent his ending days at sallekhana at Shravanabelagola. Bhadrabahu Cave is the place where he is said to have died by fasting. Bhadrabahu had propagated Jainism in South India.
- The metaphysical thoughts of Jainism are linked to Samkhya Philosophy.
- There are five Jain caves at Ellora, which belong to the ninth and tenth centuries and they all belong to the Digambara sect. Cave 32 at Ellora is called Indra Sabha and it is a Jain Cave. Tiger cave at Udayagiri, and Sittannavasala Cave at Padukottai are Jain caves only.
- Death through gradual starvation at the end of one’s natural life is called ‘Santhara’. Among Jains it is a means to attain salvation and not suicide. The Jains profess a vast difference between suicide and Santhara. Suicide is committed in a fit of anger or depression while the decision to observe Santhara is taken with a calm mind.
- Neminath or Arishtnemi was a Jain Tirthankar who was considered to be a kinsman of Lord Krishna.
- 11 close disciples of Mahavira are called Ganadhara. The Jain Samgha was made up of 11 Ganadharas.
- Virasena, Mahaviracharya, Hemachandra and Mahendra Suri were well known Jain Mathematicians.
- 4 Sankalpas viz. Satya, Ahimsa, Astey and Aparigraha were adopted and preached by Parshvanth.
