My Midterm

Discuss in full Jainism (history and main philosophical ideas) and then compare/contrast it to one of the Indian religions we have investigated this term (Sikhism, Buddhism or Hinduism).

Answer:

Jainism is considered to be one of the oldest religions in India. It traces back to 800 BCE. Jain’s believe in spiritual independence and equality of all life. Their belief system builds on what they feel are eternal and universal truths. Further they believe that over time these truths can lapse and then reappear though the teachings of an enlightened one (one with total knowledge – Tirthankars.) Regarding the Tirthakars, they believe that there have been and will continue to be many sets of Tirthankars. In Jainism, each person is responsible for his/her actions. All living beings have an eternal soul, thus they insist that one live, think, act respectfully and honor the spiritual nature of all life. Jain’s do not believe in an omnipotent Supreme Being or creator, instead they feel rather that “God” is the unchanging traits of the pure soul in each living being and that the universe is governed by natural laws.

For Jain’s reality consists of two principles, jiva (soul/life) and ajiva (non-life, or matter in any form or combination: time, space, rest, matter, energy a movement.) These two principles make up what the Jain’s refer to as the “Six Substances.”
Jain’s believe that karma and reincarnation keep the soul in contact with matter. Liberation from the human condition is extremely difficult. For the Jain’s, ones soul suffers during its infinite reincarnations. They believe that every action, good or evil, opens up sense channels in ones soul which karma adheres its self to. This in turn affects ones body, obscuring one’s mind and senses and pre-determining the condition of ones next reincarnation. For the Jain’s there is a great emphasis on karma. Jain’s truly believe that you reap what you sow. For them, being happy or sad in this life was influenced by actions in a prior life.

Jain’s speak of nine fundamentals: 1). Jiva (soul/life, living), 2). Ajiva (non-living matter), 3). Punya (results of good deeds), 4). Pap (results of bad deeds), 5). Asrava (influx of karmas), 6). Samvar (stoppage of karmas), 7). Bandh (bondage of karma), 8). Nirjara (eradication of karma) and 9). Moksha (liberation)
Jain’s show a strong ethical emphasis on non-violence (monks have been known to walk barefooted sweeping the ground in front of them to avoid killing an unseen insect.) They have a very different idea regarding their worship of Tirthankars. They don’t worship the physical forms, they worship their qualities. Tirthankars are role-models to aspire to/follow after. Jain’s display a highly ethical compassion for all life, whether it be human and non-human. To them, human life is unique and allows for one to obtain enlightenment. Killing is not even imaginable. As a result Jain’s are required to be vegetarians or vegans. In addition they won’t eat foods that may have been obtained with unnecessary cruelty. Jain’s won’t eat most root type vegetables as they believe uprooting kills the entire plant. Because of their strong ethical emphasis on non-violence Jain’s are very welcoming and friendly toward other faiths. Jain’s vow to five essential ethic codes: 1). Non-violence – non violent in the word, thought or deeds (reason for being vegetarian/vegan), 2). Truth, 3). Non-stealing, 4). Celibacy/chastity (no sex before marriage, or celibacy for monks), and 5). Non-possessiveness.

Jain’s have as their spiritual goal to be “self-controlled”, which is their means to attain realization of the soul’s true nature. In Jainism, the way to liberation (moksha) is to withdraw from the world. They feel that karma’s cause and affect means that every action had consequences which can only be escaped by penance. Karma’s must be shed to attain liberation. It’s the consequences of Karma which keeps the soul/life chained into the continuous cycle of reincarnation. Jain’s feel that at the end of one’s life, a liberated soul (with no karma to weigh it down,) will rise free from the material world and be free of the human condition.

Tirthakars (ones with total knowledge, reached enlightenment) are the religious heroes for the Jain’s. They believe in this age there have been 24 so far. Jain’s bow and say their universal prayer (Navkar Mantra) at any time during they day. The Navkar Mantra includes bowing to the five virtues of all supreme spiritual people. Within this they attempt to remember and focus on the virtues and try to emulate them in their lives.

Jainism shares many similarities to Buddhism. Both had their roots and starting in India. Both believe in Karma and its affects on individuals; however for the Jains Karma goes a step further than what Buddhist believe. For the Jains feel it takes on more than just cause and effect, a real substance or forces that from Karma flows through the individual. Both religions believe in reincarnation of the soul. Buddhist believing that one will come back if one had not learned the lessons needed to free it to reach nirvana, whereas Jains believe that multiple reincarnations cause the soul to suffer. Jains are strictly vegetarians, some Buddhist are also vegetarians. Both religions deny the existence of an omnipresent and omnipotent God who created everything. Instead both believe the universe is eternal, never starting and never ending. Both believe in the existence of the possible transformation soul (jiva) to a higher plane.