Jainism : In a Nutshell

There is a tradition of twenty-four Tirthankaras in Jainism. The first Jain Tirthankara was Rishabhadeva. Vardhaman Mahavira was the twenty-fourth Tirthankara of Jainism. It was Mahavira during the lifetime of whom Jainism spread far and wide.

Named Vardhaman at childhood, Mahavira was born in the sixth century BC at Kundagram near Vaishali. He belonged to a royal family. His father, Siddhartha was the head of a tribe named Janatrika. His mother belonged to the Lichchhavis tribe.

When he was thirty years old, he gave up his life of comfort and entered the forest and embraced asceticism. He wandered from place to place. He spent twelve long years in this way looking for true knowledge, at the end of which he attained Kaivalavya or supreme knowledge. This earned him a new title of Mahavira (one who has conquered everything).

Having attained Kaivalavya, Mahavira travelled far and wide to preach his new ideas. His teachings proved very effective among all classes of people, mainly in Magadha, Anga, Mithila and Koshala, where a lot of people accepted his teachings and became the followers of Jainism. The followers of Jainism are called Jains.

The word ‘Jain’ comes from the word 'Jina; which means a conqueror.

Mahavira's main teachings are termed as the Triratnas or three gems. These are :

*Right Faith

*Right Conduct

*Right Knowledge

Mahavira taught that to know the truth, one must abandon home and follow the rules of ahimsa (non-violence). He said that life in all forms is precious. He used Prakrit to teach people which was the common language of the people.

Right conduct is very important in Jainism. To cultivate this, every follower of Jainism is expected to take Panch Mahavritas (or five great vows); these are :

·       *  Observe brahmacharya or celibacy.

·        * Acquire property only what may be necessary.

·        * Do not steal or take another's property without asking.

·        * Renounce the false conduct and never tell a lie.

·        * Follow ahimsa or non-violence.

These principles form the basis of our Indian education.

The Jains offer prayers to their Tirthankaras. They do not believe in the caste system and accept all people as equal. Mahavira had a strong belief in the Hindu concept of Moksha or salvation from the cycle of birth and rebirth.

About two centuries after Mahavira, the Jains were divided into two groups or sects : Shvetambaras and Digambaras. The former wear white clothes and cover their mouths with a piece of white cloth to avoid breathing in and causing death of even the tiniest of germs or insects. The Digambaras are the more orthodox of the two Jain sects. They remain in their natural state without wearing any cloth. This cannot be attained without the highest degree of penance, self-restraint and self-torture.

Many kings and rulers patronised Jainism so it rapidly spread in the country, especially in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Bihar, Odisha and Tamil Nadu.

Sacred Texts

The Jain literature composed during the times of twenty-three Tirthankaras before Mahavira is called Purva, and the literature created after Mahavira is called Anga. His teachings were passed by word of mouth until they were written down. Mahavira's teachings are considered very important and can be divided into two parts : Anga Pravishta (explanations given by Mahavira) and Anga Bahya (the literature created by later followers and scholars). The Namokara Mantra is the most common prayer in Jainism.