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JAINISM
JainismwasfoundedinthesixthcenturyBCEinreactiontoHinduismandistheoldestasceticreligioustradition.Jainismisessentiallyanethicalreligionwhose
mainconcernisthemorallifeoftheindividual.ThereligionofJainismhasbeenveryinfluentialinIndianart,literature,andphilosophy.
Mahavira,whichmeans"greathero,"wasthelastof24Tirthankaras,orprophets,whotaughtJainism.Hisconvictionsandbeliefshelpedhimdevelopa
followinginthesixthcenturyBCE,andthePurvas,theearlysacredliterature,flourishedthroughoraltraditionforalmost300years.ThemonkBhadrabahu
wasthelastpersontoconveythetextorally,andwhenhediedinabout300BCE,acouncilwascalledtorecreatethetext.Twofactions,however,disagreed
onthetext.TheDigambarasdismissedthePurvasasbeingdistortedfromitsoriginalmeaningandwrotenewtextsthatweresubsequentlyrevised600and
800yearslater.Thecanonconsistsoftwomajorworksthatdiscussthedoctrinesofkarmaandpassionsthatholddownaperson'sjiva,orsoul.Ontheother
hand,theSvetambarascripturesinclude45Agamas(texts)thatdiscusstherulesofasceticism,theoriginoftheuniverse,doctrinesonastronomy,andother
views.ThereligionwasfavoredbymanyrulersinIndiaformanycenturies,butinthe12thcentury,thereligionwentintodeclineaftertheMusliminvasions.
Themaindifferencesbetweenthetwosectsareovertheroleofwomenandtheissueofnakedness.TheSvetambaras("whiteclad"),whodominatein
northernIndia,admitwomenandallowthewearingofgarments.TheDigambaras("skyclad"),whodominatesouthernIndia,excludewomenfromtemplesand
believethatonlymencanattaintotalliberationtheyalsoprescribetotalnudityinthepursuitofextremeasceticism.Overthecenturies,othersectswere
formedbecausedifferencesaroseoversuchissuesastheworshipofidolsandtheuseoftemples.
Jainsbelievethat23Tirthankaras,orprophets,precededtheappearanceofMahavira,thelastoftheprophets.TheTirthankarasachievedliberationoftheir
soulsthroughmeditationandselfdenial.Theytaughtthemethodofsalvationbeforedepartingfromtheirmortalbodies.JainsworshiptheTirthankarasasa
waytocommemoratethepathstheytooktoliberation.Mahavirarejectedthenotionofdeitiesandworshipofidols.Hebelievedthatthepathtosalvationlayin
one'sowndestinyandthatthereshouldnotbeadistinctpriestlyclass,onlypeoplewhocanhelpdescribetheroutetoselfliberation.
TheunderlyingprincipleofJainismisthatalllivingthingshaveanimmortalsoul(jiva)thatshouldstrivetobeliberatedfrommatter(ajiva).Thejivais
reincarnatedafterdeath,butitisalmostalwayshelddownbykarmaaformofmatterthatclingstothejivathroughdesires(bothgoodandbad)inpresent
andpastlives.Tofreethesoulofkarma,apersonmustperformaustereactstoreachastateofbeingwithoutdesiresinwhichthekarmaisstrippedaway.The
routetoachievingthatgoalisdescribedbyMahaviraastheFiveGreatVows:(1)renouncingthekillingofalllivingthings,denyingtherightofotherstokill,
andmakingsurenottokillanylivingthinginadvertently(2)renouncingallvicesassociatedwithliesarisingfromfear,laughter,anger,andgreed(3)
renouncingallformsofstealingandrefusingtoacceptanythingthatisnotgivenfreely(4)renouncingallsexualpleasures,includingtheacknowledgmentof
thesensualityofwomen,whomMahaviradescribedas"thegreatesttemptationintheworld"and(5)renouncingallformsofattachmentthatcausepleasure,
pain,love,orhateandprohibitingothersfromdoingso.Therearethreemainstepsinreachingthehighestlevelofselfliberation:acceptingthetruthofthe24
Tirthankaras,gainingknowledgeofthepathtoselfliberation,andfollowingthepathtoselfliberation.Therelativelyfewsoulsthatfindselfliberationbreakthe
cycleofrebirthandrisetothetopoftheuniversewhereallthereleasedsouls(siddhas)dwell.Allsiddhasareidenticalandexistinablissfulstateofspiritual
omniscience.
Jainsbelievethattheuniverseiseternal,withneitherabeginningnoranend.Theybelievethereisnogod,althoughtherearetheconsistentelementsofsoul,
matter,time,space,andmotion.Timeisseenasawheelwith12spokesthataredividedintotwocycles.Sixagescreatearisingcyclewhenhumansprogress
instature,happiness,andknowledge.Theremainingsixagesareofadescendingcycleinwhichthereisadeteriorationofthoseconditions.Together,thetwo
cyclesmakeasinglerotationoftime.
JainsarewidelyrespectedinIndiabecauseoftheiradherencetotheircodeofconduct.BecauseMahavira'sdoctrineswereextremelysevereforallbutthe
mostseriousdisciples,alessstrictcodeofconductwasdescribedforordinarypeople.Ironically,thecodethatwasprescribedasaroutethroughpovertyand
asceticismhascontributedtomakingJainsoneofthewealthiestclassesinIndia.Theyaremajorcontributorstoandorganizersofcharities,welfare,and
culturalorganizationsinIndia.
Overthecenturies,manyJainsadoptedsomeHindupractices.ManypeopleinIndiaconsiderthemselvesbothHinduandJainandoftenturntoHinduismfor
suchdomesticritesasbirth,marriage,anddeath.Today,thereareabout3millionfollowersaroundtheworld,withthevastmajorityinIndia,althoughthereare
smallcommunitiesinGreatBritain,easternAfrica,andNorthAmerica.Thereligion'sinfluenceinIndiaisdisproportionaltothenumberoffollowers,asmany
JainsareleadingmembersoftheIndianbusinesscommunity.
DavidLevinson

FurtherReading
Dundas,Paul,TheJains,1992Jaini,Padmanaabh,TheJainaPathofPurification,1979.
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MLACitation
Levinson,David."Jainism."WorldHistory:AncientandMedievalEras,ABCCLIO,2016,ancienthistory.abcclio.com/Search/Display/596645.Accessed12
Sept.2016.

http://ancienthistory.abcclio.com/Search/Display/596645?sid=596645&cid=0&oid=0&view=search&lang=&citeId=2&useConcept=False
EntryID:596645

Levinson,David."Jainism."WorldHistory:AncientandMedievalEras,ABCCLIO,2016,ancienthistory.abcclio.com/Search/Display/596645.Accessed12
Sept.2016.

http://ancienthistory.abcclio.com/Search/Display/596645?sid=596645&cid=0&oid=0&view=search&lang=&citeId=2&useConcept=False
EntryID:596645