Jainism is very similar to Hinduism and Buddhism in many ways. As a matter of fact, many Jains identify themselves as Hindu.

For the sake of time, we are not going to reiterate the similarities (like the belief in karma, reincarnation, the pursuit of liberation of the soul, etc) But rather focus on the differences. SLIDE 2 - Ahimsa I. Palm signifies assurance; to have faith and change the path of righteousness. II. Wheel of Dharma 24 spokes represent the 24 Tirthankaras. The word inside the wheel is ahimsa. 1. The supreme principle of Jain living is non violence (ahimsa). 2. Jains believe that the only way to save one's own soul is to protect every other soul 3. Literally translated, Ahimsa means to be without harm; to be utterly harmless, not only to oneself and others, but to all forms of life, from the largest mammals to the smallest bacteria. 4. Jains believe that life (which equals soul) is sacred regardless of faith, caste, race, or even species. 5. Do not injure, abuse, oppress, enslave, insult, torment, torture or kill any creature or living being. 6. Ahimsa is often translated simply as non-violence, but its implications are far wider; it is more than not doing violence, it is more than an attitude, it is a whole way of life. And for modern Jains the concept also includes the positive elements of working for justice, peace, liberation, and freedom, if doing so does not involve violence. One should refrain from violence to any living creature. Violence includes: physical violence -- mental violence -- verbal violence Accidental physical harm may not count as violence if there was no violent intention, but lack of compassion or care may be a sufficiently violent intention. SLIDE 3 - Monk In following this discipline Jain monks may be observed treading and sweeping in their temples with the utmost of care so as to avoid accidentally crushing crawling insects, or wearing muslin cloths over their mouths in case they should accidentally swallow a fly. Ahimsa touches every area of life, so Jains also: 1. don't use cloth whose production hurts animals or humans 2. Jains are also not allowed to do jobs that cause harm, for example: those involving furnaces or fires those in which trees are cut those involving fermentation trading in meat products, honey or eggs trading in silk, leather etc selling pesticides selling weapons digging in dirt circus work involving animals In practical terms the biggest part that ahimsa plays in the lives of lay Jains today is in the regulation of their diet.

SLIDE 4 - Food The Jain community is a vegetarian-food-based community. Jains do not kill or cause to kill any animal or a living being that moves. But they are not vegans. Lets look at some of the foods that are Prohibited for Jains In Jain conduct, uneatables are stated to be of five kinds: 1. Articles involving injury or death of mobile-beings Meat is Strictly Prohibited The basic foundation of Jain food is non-violence. 2. Articles involving injury or death to many creatures Root Vegetables Should be Avoided Jains dont tend to eat certain root veggies because harvesting these vegetable kills the entire plant. When the root vegetables such as potatoes, onions, roots and tubers are pulled up,tiny life forms are injured. Furthermore, the bulb is seen as a living being, as it is able to sprout. Consumption of most root vegetables involves uprooting & killing the entire plant. Eggs are Prohibited Eggs are the potential offspring of five-sensed beings. Mushrooms and yeast are also forbidden because they are living parasites. 3. Intoxicants e.g. (Wine etc) Honey is Prohibited Honey is the excrement of bees. 4. Articles not worthy of use (Saliva, Stool, and Urine) Also decaying food 5. Deprecables (Articles causing harm to the health) Like sugar for a diabetic Now let us look at the foods that are allowed and not prohibited Milk Some people say that the milk of a cow or goat is also part of the body. However there is a vast difference between milk and eggs. This understanding is incorrect because an egg is the progeny of a hen, similarly milk is not the progeny of the cow. By taking milk out of the body of a cow or goat, no harm is done to their lives; whereas by use of the egg the creature inside the egg is killed. If the milk producing cow or goat is not milked at the proper time, agony is caused to it. Having said this, there are still issues about the way dairy cows are treated and their culling as soon as they are past their prime milking days. Cereals The use of cereals like wheat, rice etc., pulses like gram etc., and oil-seeds etc., has been advised, because these are fully non-injurious food. Cereals are produced only when their plants get dried of their own after their age ends. Fruit Fruits that become ripe on the branches of trees or those fallen from trees on their own after becoming ripe, are to be considered. These fruits involve no anguish to any creatures or insects.

SLIDE 5 - Universe 1. Jains believe that the universe we perceive really exists and is not an illusion. 2. It contains jivas - living souls, and ajivas - non-living objects, include everything else, including space. 3. Nothing in the universe is ever destroyed or created, they simply change from one form to another. 4. Jains believe that the universe has always existed and will always exist. 5. Jains do not believe that the universe was created by any sort of god. 6. Space is infinite, the universe is not. SLIDE 6 - Cosmic Dimensions The Jain universe is in five parts: 1. Supreme abode -- where liberated souls live, at the very top of the layers of the universe. Forever 2. Upper world- where celestial beings live, also known as the 30 heavens. Not forever 3. Middle world-consists of the Earth and the rest of the universe where human beings live. this is the only part of the universe from which a being can achieve enlightenment 4. Nether world (or lower word)- this region consists of seven hells where beings are tormented by demons and by each other their torment does not last for ever 5. The Nigoda-where all the lowest forms of life live. (The base of the universe.) SLIDE 7 - Soul (Jiva) Jains believe that animals and plants, as well as human beings, contain living souls. Each of these souls is considered of equal value and should be treated with respect and compassion. The soul is: eternal and conscious made of some form of energy without physical form able to be 'embodied'. A jiva adapts its size to fill whatever body it is in. pure, omniscient and totally blissful Jain ideas about the soul differ from those of many other religions. Jains also believe: 1. the soul exists forever 2. each soul is always independent 3. the soul is responsible for what it does 4. the soul experiences the consequences of its actions 5. the soul can become liberated from the cycle of birth and death 6. not all souls can be liberated - some souls are inherently incapable of achieving this 7. the soul can evolve towards that liberation by following principles of behavior 8. Souls have not fallen from perfection For Jains, each jiva has been associated with matter, and involved in the cycle of birth and death since the beginning of time. They did not in some way fall from perfection to become involved in this cycle. 9. Some jivas, through their own efforts, have become liberated and escaped from the cycle. 10. Liberated jivas don't have physical bodies; they possess infinite knowledge, infinite vision, infinite power, and infinite bliss - in effect they have become perfect beings. 11. This makes liberated jivas the beings most like gods in Jain belief, but they are very different from the Nonliberated souls 12. Every jiva has the possibility of achieving liberation, and thus of becoming a god, and each soul is involved in a process of evolving towards that state.

SLIDE 8 - Liberation 1. If karma still exists, the quality of its next life is determined by its karma at the time of death. 2. When a being dies the soul (jiva) goes to its next body instantly. 3. This body may not be human or even animal. Categories of non-liberated soul Ekendriya - beings with one sense - immobile beings, with only one sense - the sense of touch: Earth-bodied: clay, sand, metal etc Water-bodied: fog, rain, ice etc Fire-bodied: fire, lightning etc Air-bodied: wind, gas etc Plant-bodied: trees, flowers, vegetables etc Beindriya - beings with two senses These are very simple organisms that are thought to have two senses - touch and taste. This categoryincludes things like worms and termites. Treindriya - beings with three senses These have the senses of touch, taste and smell. This category includes insects like ants, beetles and moths. Chaurindriya - beings with four senses These have the senses of touch, taste, smell and sight. This category includes wasps, locusts and scorpions. Panchendriya - beings with five senses These have the senses of touch, taste, smell, sight and hearing. There are four classes of these beings: Infernal beings: souls living in hell. This form of jiva experiences the greatest suffering. Higher animals: This includes all non-human animals above insects. Human beings: This is the only form of jiva which is able to obtain liberation directly. Heavenly beings: This form of jiva is the happiest. 4. A being achieves deliverance when it is free from all karma. When the being becomes free of all karma it travels instantly to the supreme abode - the highest level of the universe - where it lives forever in a disembodied state of bliss with the other liberated souls. SLIDE 9 - Worship The motive and purpose of Jain worship is very different from worship in many other religions. 1. Jainism is action, not devotion 1. Jain worship seems to contain elements similar to Hindu worship 2. Jains don't worship to please gods, or in the hope of getting something from gods in return. 3. But nevertheless, Jains do worship. The purpose of Jain worship 1. Jain worship and prayer are different to the practices of many other faiths. 2. Jain worship provides the individual with a discipline that helps them concentrate on the Jain ideals, and cultivate detachment. 3. The worshipper concentrates on the virtues of the tirthankaras and other pure souls, in order to help them follow their example. 4. The worshipper concentrates on the virtues they want to emulate

SLIDE 10 - Gods I have said that Jains do not believe in Gods they do however consider those who have reached enlightenment as Gods of a sort, but they are very different from the conventional idea of gods: Gods do not create or destroy Gods do not intervene in the universe Gods did not set down the laws of the universe Gods do not make any demands on human beings Gods don't reward human beings in any way, or forgive their sins, or give them grace Humans don't owe their existence to them Humans can only use them as an inspiration It is not possible to have any sort of relationship with them

So when Jains worship 'gods' they do so to set before themselves the example of perfection that they want to follow in their own lives. SLIDE 11 - Three Jewels The Three Jewels of Jainism The aim of Jain life is to achieve liberation of the soul. This is done by following the Jain ethical code, or to put it simply, living rightly by following the three jewels of Jain ethics. There are three parts to this: right faith, right knowledge and right conduct. The first two are very closely connected. Right faith 1. This doesn't mean believing what you're told, but means seeing (hearing, feeling, etc.) things properly, and 2. avoiding preconceptions and superstitions that get in the way of seeing clearly. 3. Some books call this jewel "right perception". 4. You can't achieve this unless you are determined to find the truth, and distinguish it from untruth. Right knowledge 1. This means having an accurate and sufficient knowledge of the real universe 2. this requires a true knowledge of the five (or six) substances and nine truths of the universe 3. and having that knowledge with the right mental attitude. 4. This means having a proper knowledge of the Jain scriptures. 5. Some writers describe right knowledge as meaning having a pure soul; a soul that is free from attachment and desire... 6. others say that a person who has right knowledge will naturally free themselves from attachment and desire, and so achieve peace of mind. Right conduct 1. This means living your life according to Jain ethical rules, to avoid doing harm to living things and freeing yourself from attachment and other impure attitudes and thoughts. 2. Jains believe that a person who has right faith and right knowledge will be motivated and able to achieve right conduct. 3. Many Jains believe that a person without right faith and right knowledge cannot achieve right conduct

SLIDE 12 Five Vows of Living Emerging from these three jewels and relating to right conduct are the five abstinences, which are the vows of: Ahimsa (non-violence): Not to cause harm to any living beings by thoughts, speech or body Non-violence towards all living creatures, in both thought and action Fosters and attitude of respect for all life forms Satya (truthfulness): To speak the harmless truth only A truthful person cannot easily dismiss the suffering caused by uncontrolled waste Asteya (not stealing): Not to take anything that is not properly given Reflects on the worlds limited resources and prompt one to think of the needs of future generations Aparigraha (detachment) - Non possession: A complete detachment from people, places, and material things Strengthens autonomy of thoughts & speech, and non-possessiveness Gives one pause to think twice before indulging in the acquisition of material goods, one of the root causes of current ecological concern Brahmacarya (chaste living) - Sexual Restraint: Minimizes population growth

There are two forms of the five vows: Mahavrata: the 5 great vows followed by Jain monks and nuns Anuvrata: the lesser vows followed by Jain lay people. These are less strict version of the great vows SLIDE 13 - Two Major Sects of Jains
Shvetambaras monks that wear white robes. Digambaras (sky clad) monks that do not wear anything.