CHAPTER 6 - MAHAVIR & JAINISM

JAINISM

• It comes before Gautam Buddha in 6th Century BC, when The rituals became more harsher and Brahmins become most powerful to control all in later Vedic times. 
• Rishavnath was the first tirthankara and founder of Jainsim. Jain means conquer. During time of Vardhaman Mahavir, who was 24th tirthankara, Jainsim spread over the Indian sub continent.
• It believes all substances in Universe are eternal and it has no beginning nor end.
• It does not believe in God.
• When a person destroys all his karmas, he becomes liberated one. And it's Moksha. And this liberated soul posses infinite knowledge, power, vision etc.
• According to Jainism, Every man has potential to become God.

Tenets of Jainism

Attainment of Liberation is the main purpose of Jainism, for which no rituals are required. And it can be achieved by Tri-ratna (3 principles).

Tri-Ratna

• Right Faith (सम्यक दर्शन)
• Right Knowledge (सम्यक ज्ञान)
• Right Action (सम्यक चरित्र)

Five Doctorine of Jainism

• Ahimsa
• Satya
• Asteya (no stealing)
• Aparigraha
• Brahmacharya

Tirthankaras in Jainism

• There are 24 Tirthankara in Jainsim. Rishavnath was 1st Tirthankara and founder of Jainsim. (Emblem of Rishavnath was Bull.)
• 23rd Tirthankara was Prasavnath. (his emblem was Serpent)
• Mahavir was last & 24th Tirthankara. his emblem was Lion.

Life of Vardhaman Mahavira.

• His father was head of Jantrika clan named Siddhartha and mother was Lichhavi Princess and sister of Chetak named Trishla.
• He had renuncation in the age of 30 under Prasavnath.
• He attained Kaivalya (Perfect knowledge) at the age of 42 under a saal tree at Jimbhika village.
• Founder of Ajivika text - Mahavir.
• First Sermon to his 11 pupils at - Pava known as Ganddharas,
• Founded Jain sangha at Pava.
• He died in 468 BC at the age of 72 at Pavapuri near Rajgriha.

5 other names of Vardhaman Mahavira

• Jitendriya - One who conqured all his senses
• Kevalin - Perfect learned
• Nirgranthas - free from all bonds
• Arihants - blessed one
• Mahavir - the brave

Teachings of Mahavira

• Rejected authority of Vedas & didn't believe in God.
• Every object possess Soul. so he professed non-violence.
• Attainment of salvation by believing in penance and dying of Starvation.
• Universal brotherhood and non-belief in caste-system.
• Beliefs in Karma.
• Beliefs in transmigration of Soul.

Syadavada - all our judgements are necessarily relative, conditional and limited.

Anekantavada - Doctrine of mayness of reality.

Monks in Jainism

Manavratas - Monks who observed 5 principles of Jainism.

Anuvratas - who observed 5 principles.

The first 4 principles were given by Prasavnath, where 5th principle Brahmacharya was later added by Vardhaman Mahavir.

Sects in Jainism

After the death of Mahavir, during the reign of Chandragupta Maurya, a profound famine causes migration of Jain monks from Ganga valley to Deccan plateu. This resulted differences between two group of monks.

• Digambara - Bhadrabahu, leader of emigrant, insists on maintaining practicing of nudity. (Area - Mysore)
• Swetambara - Stulabhadra, leader of northern monks permitted their monks to wear white clothes and white garments. (Area - Gujarat & Rajastan)

It led to the growth of many regional languages like Suraseni. out of which Marathi, Kannada, Gujarati & Rajasthani languages grew.

Due to extreme observance of ahimsa, penance and austerity, people didn't wanted to follow. No Kings were patronaged after a time period, and there was no spread like culture in Jainism, it declined.