Reasons for emergence of new religions

• Shift from pastoral to agrarian economy and rise in trade; Vaishyas (third Varna) supported Jainism and Buddhism.
• Caste rigidity, low status of Shudras and women caused discontent.
• Animal sacrifices clashed with agrarian values.
• Vedic religion had complex rituals, Brahmin dominance, and superstitions; new religions opposed Brahmin authority.
• Sanskrit lost appeal; Prakrit was widely spoken.
• Jainism predates Buddhism (founded by first Tirthankara Rishabhanatha ) but was revived by Mahavira ; its origins are unknown.

About Mahavira

• Mahavira, also known as Vardhamana, Vira, Sanmati, Ativira, Gnatputra (Tamil texts), and Nigantha Nātaputta (Pali canon), was the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism.
• Born in 599 BC in Kundagrama (Muzaffarpur, Bihar), he was the son of King Siddartha (Gyatrika Kshatriyas) and Queen Trishala (Licchhavi princess, sister of ruler Chetak).
• His gotra was Kashyapa. The family was called Jnatri in Sanskrit and Naata in Prakrit; male members were Jnatriputras or Naataputtas.
• At 30, he renounced royal life, became an ascetic, and meditated for 12 years before attaining Kevalya Gyana. He spent the rest of his life preaching and attained Nirvana at 72 in Pavapuri (now Nalanda district).
• Shwetambara tradition says he married Yasoda and had a daughter, Priyadarsana (Anojja), who wed his disciple Jamali. Digambara tradition holds he remained unmarried.

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 (Truths)

1. Jiva (Soul): 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.
2. 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 fourth 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.
3. Punya: Punya is the consequence of good deeds. There are nine ways to it.
4. Papa: 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. Nirjara (shedding the karmic matter): Nirjara means shedding off, drying up or destruction. Nirjara is to destroy and burn up accumulated karma.
9. 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.

Triratna and Five Mahavratas

• 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 of Jainism Basic Tenet

• Every living being has a soul. Every soul ...