JAINISM

Jainas believe that origin of Jainism goes back to very ancient times.
Jainas believe in 24 tirthankaras or great teachers or leaders of their religion.
Rishabhdeva is believed to be the first tirthankara by the Jainas. He was also known as Adinath.
The twenty third Tirthankara, Parshvanath was the son of Ikshvaku king Ashvasena of Kasi.
Rishabhdeva and Arishtanemi are mentioned in the Rigveda.
Vayu Purana and Bhagvat Purana mention Rishabhdeva as the incarnation of Narayana.
The twenty-fourth tirthankara was Vardhamana Mahavira.

1. Life of Mahavira

Vardhamana Mahavira, was born in the village of Kundagrama near Vaishali in about 540 BC.
His father Siddhartha was the chief of Jnatrika clan.
His mother Trisala was the sister of Chetaka, an eminent Licchchavi noble of Vaishali. Chetaka’s daughter in later times was married to Bimbisara, the king of Magadha.
He was married to Yashoda and lived a life of householder.
His daughter’s name was Annoja and his son in law was Jameli.
He became an ascetic at the age of 30.
During the next 12 years, he practiced most rigorous asceticism.
In the thirteenth year, at the age of 42, he attained Kaivalya i.e. the supreme knowledge and final deliverance from the bonds of pleasure and pain. Hence he was called Kevalin.
He sat under a sal tree on the bank of river Riju Palik or Rijukala in Jambhika gram near Vaishali for the attainment of Kaivalya.
He was also known as Jina which means conqueror of senses and his followers were called Jainas.
He founded a Jain Sangha at Pawapuri to propagate his faith.
He died in 468 BC at the age of 72 at Pawapuri.

Five Cardinal Truths of Jainism are:
(i) Ahimsa (non-injury to living beings)
(ii) Satya (speaking the truth)
(iii) Asteya (non-stealing)
(iv) Aparigraha (non-possession of property)
(v) Brahmacharya (continence or celibacy)
First four of the above Cardinal Truths were originally given by Parshvanath. The fifth was added by Mahavira.
Five Cardinal Truths are called as Panch Mahavratas for monks and Panch Anuvratas for common people respectively.
The triratnas of Jainism are:
(i) Samyaka Jnana (Right knowledge)
(ii) Samyaka Vichara (Right thought)
(iii) Samyaka Karma (Right action)
Philosophy of Jainism is called Syadvada which literally means ‘theory of may be’. It says that there is no absolute answer to a question.
Jainism says that souls are everywhere even in stones, rocks, water, etc.
Jainism says salvation is possible only by abandoning all possessions, a long course of fasting, self mortification, study and meditation. Therefore, the monastic life is essential for salvation.
According to Jainism the eternal world is full of sorrow and pain.
Jainism says that the universe is comprised of jiva (spirit/soul), ajiva (physical matter), dharma, adharma, kala and akash.
According to Jainism it is not god’s but man’s deeds (karma) and the fruits thereof (karmaphala) that shape the destiny of a man.

Jainism has given much wider definition to non-violence which includes non-violence of thought, speech and action.
Jainism did not recognise caste system and Aryan religion.
Jainism advocated simple and austere life.
Jainism did not believe in god.
Sallekhna is an orthodox Jaina tradition in which a person accepts voluntary death by fasting.
According to Jainism there are three sources of knowledge viz. Pratyaksha, anuman and sayings of the tirthankaras.

It is believed that about two hundred years after the death of Mahavira a terrible famine broke out in Magadha.
Chandragupta Maurya was the king and Bhadrabahu was the chief of Jaina community at that time.
Chandragupta and Bhadrabahu, along with their followers went to Karnataka leaving Sthulabahu incharge of the Jainas that remained in Magadha.
The Jainas who went to Karnataka were called Digambaras (those who were stark naked) and the Magadhan Jainas were called Shvetambaras (those who put on white robes).
Digambaras observed the tenets of Jainism very strictly while the Shvetambaras were liberal in approach.
Some of the patrons of Jainism are Chandragupta Maurya, Kharvelas of Kalinga, Rashtrakutas of Deccan, Chamundaraya, Solanki rulers of Gujarat and Indra-IV (Rashtrakuta king).

Jaina literature was first written in Prakrit and later in Sanskrit.
Purvas literature is almost lost. Later literature consists of 12 angas, 12 upangas, 10 prakirnas, 6 chhedasutras and 4 mulasutras.
Purvas were 14 in number.
Kalpasutra was written by Bhadrabahu.

Sl.	Date/Place	Headed by	Result
1st	300 BC, Pataliputra	Sthulabhadra	Jains divided into Shvetambara & Digambara
IInd	6th Century AD, Vallabhi	Devardhi Kshamashraman	12 angas and 12 upangas were compiled