Jainism
Ashli, Jocelyn, Jaycie
BK Quiz (4 pts)
1. From what country does Jainism find its origins?
2. T/F? Jains believe in reincarnation.
3. Name two foods Jains do not support eating.
4. T/F? Jains perform worship.
Answers
1. India
2. True
3. meat and potatoes and any previously living food
that was harmed before being ready to eat
4. True and false
Beginnings
● 6th Cen. BCE in India
● Jinas (Conquerors)
o title given to the 24 great teachers who created
the faith
● Sanskrit is their religious language
● Mahavira: founder of the religion
● Two Sects- disagree on scripture, women,
details of life of Mahavira, rituals
o Svetambara
o Digambra
● Goal is ultimate liberation from self
o Found through:
 Elimination of Karma
 Control of knowledge
 Control of desire/passions
 When successful → Jina “conqueror”
Basic Beliefs
● Concern for the welfare of every being in the universe, and
for the health of the universe, itself.
o Animals, plants, and human beings all contain living souls.
o Each of the souls is of equal value (no caste system), and should be
treated with respect and compassion.

The masks are worn so that they don’t harm/breath in any small organisms or
flies
● The “Three Jewels” (or guiding principles)
o Right belief
o Right knowledge
o Right conduct
● The supreme principle of Jain living is non-violence
(ahimsa)
Basic Beliefs: Vows taken by Jains
12 total: Jains scriptures expect these to be followed
● The 5 Anuvratas (Lesser/Limited) The 4 Siksavratas (instruction/discipline)
o
o
o
o
o
Non-violence
 Vegetarianism
Truthfulness
Non-stealing
Chastity
Non-possession
- Meditation - one place, 48 mins/day
- Limited duration of activities
- Adopt life of monk for 1 day, regularly
- Give money to monks, nuns, and poor
● The 3 Gunavratas (Subsidary)
o
o
o
Limited area of activity - reduce areas of doing harm
Limited use of resources - only have what they need
Avoidance of pointless sins - immoral media, gossip, bad thoughts
Texts
● Mahavir’s disciples compiled his teaching into text
o From there orally translated for 1,000 years, never kept original text
● In 500 A.D Jain acharyas decided to write down their
knowledge of Jainism
o Literature is split into two different categories
 Agam Literature

● Original scripture of Gandharas, and Skrut-kevalis- written in
Prakrit
Non-Agam Literature
● Collections of commentary and explanations for Jainism
from nuns, and monks
Deities
● Do not believe in “Almighty Creator God”
● Believe that one can achieve godliness by reaching
absolute bliss or enlightenment
● Gods can come in forms of:
o Arihants: gods in embodied states, ultimately become Siddhas; a soul
who has destroyed all passions/desires; can achieve omniscience
o Tirthankaras: Teachers and revivers of Jain philosophy; a focus of
reverence and worship among Jains
o Siddha: A soul perfected, permanently liberated from cycle of birth and
death; free from all Karma and embodiment, living forever in Moksha
Symbols
● Contrary to the hindu swastika, the
Jain swastika represents the four
states the soul may live in
o
Heaven, Hell, Animal, Human
● The hand represents fearlessness
● The wheel represents the desire to
stop reincarnation through nonviolence
●
●
●
o the word inside is “Ahimsa”
The three dots represent the “three jewels”
The semicircle represents the zone beyond
the three realms… the place for the
liberated soul.
The bottom writing is sanskrit for “mutual
assistance of all beings”
Symbols cont’d
● The flag of jainism was first
mentioned in a holy text
dating back to the 5th
century BCE. Sometimes the
black is dark blue.
Worship
How do they worship?
● Jains do not worship to please or honor a god or gods
● Cultural influences have lead Jain temples to look very similar to Hindu
temples → some very ornate, some completely bland.
o Tirthankaras are displayed, which offerings are made to
● Although the jains will appear to be worshipping the tirthankaras as people,
they are really worshipping the ideals of perfection which they have
achieved.
What is the purpose then?
● Provides individuals with the discipline to concentrate on Jain ideals, and
cultivate detachment.
● By focusing on the virtues of tirthankaras and other pure souls, Jains hope
to follow in their perfect footsteps
Worship cont’d
Purpose of prayer?
● Prayers only focusing on the great acts of tirthankaras and to remind
oneself of Mahavira’s teachings.
● Karma, which sets the quality of life for a person, is automatic and cannot
be changed through prayer.
● Any beings that would be prayed to cannot be reached and are out of
human contact → they have been liberated from all desires and passions
and so they cannot be pleased by any acts of worship
Why do Jains worship then?
●
●
●
●
●
Improves spiritual state of worshipper
like going to the gym strengthens the body, worshipping brings purification
It can destroy bad karma attached to the soul
It provides focus
It reminds worshippers of the examples they are to follow
Namaskara Sutra
The Namaskara Sutra is one of the most important prayers in Jainism because it praises the
five great beings’ acts:
“I bow down to those who have reached omniscience in the flesh and teach the road to everlasting life in the
liberated state.
I bow down to those who have attained perfect knowledge and liberated their souls of all karma.
I bow down to those who have experienced self-realisation of their souls through self-control and selfsacrifice.
I bow down to those who understand the true nature of soul and teach the importance of the spiritual over the
material.
I bow down to those who strictly follow the five great vows of conduct and inspire us to live a virtuous life.
To these five types of great souls I offer my praise.
Such praise will help diminish my sins.
Giving this praise is most auspicious.
So auspicious as to bring happiness and bliss.”
Daily Duties
There are 6 daily duties, not mandatory, but recommended
for spiritual development
●
●
●
●
●
●
meditation and prayer
honor the Tirthankara
respect for spiritual leaders
repentance for things one has done wrong
control of one’s self by holding a fixed position during meditation
renunciation of certain pleasures for a period of time. Pleasures such as:
food, and activities
Pilgrimages
● Pilgrimage is considered important to Jains,
but is not mandated...
● When on Pilgrimages
o Take on an attitude of an Jain ascetic (much like a nun or a munk)
o Visit temples and or locations that may be associated with the lives
and deeds of Tirthankaras
o Most famous, holy site for Jains is in Shatrunjaya in Gujarat
 Shatrunjaya is one of the five holy mountains and contains many
temples
Rites of Passage
● Birth
○ Pre- birth rituals
■ Values of mother and hereditary values given predominance
■ aim to improve child before and after birth
○ Post- birth rituals
■ Jatakarma rituals
● give ghee and honey to child (ghee should be 3 times the
amount of honey); Om written on tongue
● Father whispers “Vedosi” into child’s ear which means
“you are a knowledgeable person”
Rites of Passage cont’d
● Marriage
o Pre- Marriage


Small puja at brides house - priest decides date and time of wedding
Given to groom, groom’s brother puts tika on groom’s forehead, gives
gifts (ex. small gold chain, clothes, sweets, etc.)
o Marriage




Father of bride performs Kanyadaan ritual
● places 1 rupee and 25 paice and rice in right hand and hands
her to groom
Priest chants mantras, pours holy water 3 times on couple’s hands
Bride ties knot between her sari and groom’s shawl
7 vows then exchange garlands between the couple
Rites of Passage cont’d
● Death
○ Santhara- fasting to death
■ Jain stops eating with the intention of preparing for death
■ Only do this when body is no longer capable of serving as an
instrument of spirituality and death is inevitable
○
Burial
■ Cremated in specific place, cannot have organisms (grass,
insects) where they’re burned
■ Not put in river (could pollute), instead dig hole and put remains in
Holidays
● Paryushana (to stay in one place)
o Celebrated in August or September for 8-10 days
o Festival of receptance and forgiveness, old Karma cleansed
o Many Jains fast, regular rituals at their temple

Teachings of Kalpa Sutra given by monks
● Kalpa Sutra is the teachings of three of the 24 original teachers,
including Mahavira
o On last day Jains ask for forgiveness from everybody whom
they may have hurt in the previous year
Holidays cont’d
● Diwali
o One of most important festivals
o Day of Nirvana for Lord Mahavira
o Falls on last day of the month of Ashvina according to the Jain
calendar (Our October or November)
o It is believed that the 18 kings of Northern India lit lights symbolizing
the knowledge of Mahavira
o Celebrate with sweets, light lamps, fast last 2 days
● New Years
o After Diwali at the end of Ashvina, Jains celebrate New Years at the
beginning of the next month, Kartika
o Ritual of Snatra Puja performed at temple
o Mahavira’s chief disciple Gautam Swami attained Kevala Jnana
(omniscience) on this day
The End