Jainism at a glance....

[PARAMASHIVAN]

Dear all

Since there is loads of topics and debates about Hinduism in this section of the hub, it may be a good Idea talk about Jainisim here.
Please contribute your comments to share your knowledge...

[PARAMASHIVAN]

• Every living being has a soul.[15]

• Every soul is potentially divine, with innate qualities of infinite knowledge,

• perception, power, and bliss (masked by its karmas).

• Therefore, regard every living being as yourself, harming no one and be kind to

• all living beings.

• Every soul is born as a celestial, human, sub-human or hellish being according to its own karmas.

• Every soul is the architect of its own life, here or hereafter.[22]

• When a soul is freed from karmas, it becomes free and attain divine

• consciousness, experiencing infinite knowledge, perception, power, and bliss.[23]

• Right View, Right Knowledge and Right Conduct (triple gems of Jainism) provide the way to this realization.[24] There is no supreme divine creator, owner, preserver or destroyer. The universe is self-regulated and every soul has the potential to achieve divine consciousness (siddha) through its own efforts.

• Navakar Mantra is the fundamental prayer in Jainism and can be recited at any time of the day. Praying by reciting this mantra, the devotee bows with respect to liberated souls still in human form (Arihantas), fully liberated souls (Siddhas), spiritual leaders (Acharyas), teachers (Upadyayas) and all the monks. By saluting them, Jains receive inspiration from them for the right path of true bliss and total freedom from the karma of their soul. In this main prayer, Jains do not ask for any favours or material benefits. This mantra serves as a simple gesture of deep respect towards beings who are more spiritually advanced. The mantra also reminds followers of the ultimate goal, nirvana or moksha.[25]

• To be in soul consciousness rather than body consciousness is the foundation of right view, the condition of right Knowledge and the kernel of right Conduct. It leads to a state of being unattached to worldly things and being nonjudgmental and non-violent; this includes compassion and forgiveness in thoughts, words and actions toward all living beings and respecting views of others (non-absolutism).
• Jainism stresses on the importance of controlling the senses, as they can drag you far away true nature of the soul into being increasingly addicted to the material world leading into the tunnel of darkness, ignorance, love, hate and violence (led by the fear of losing what we are attached to).

• Limit possessions and lead a pure life that is useful to yourself and others. Owning an object by itself is not possessiveness; however attachment to an object is.[26] Non-possessiveness is the balancing of needs and desires while staying detached from our possessions.

• Enjoy the company of the holy and better qualified, be merciful to those afflicted and tolerate the perversely inclined.[27]

• Four things are difficult for a soul to attain: 1. human birth, 2. knowledge of the law, 3. faith in the law, and 4. practicing the right path.

• It is important not to waste human life in evil ways. Rather, strive to rise on the ladder of spiritual evolution.

• The goal of Jainism is liberation of the soul from the negative effects of
• unenlightened thoughts, speech and action. This goal is achieved through

• clearance of karmic obstructions by following the triple gems of Jainism.

• Jains mainly worship idols of Jinas, Arihants and Tirthankars, who have conquered the inner passions and attained divine consciousness. Jainism acknowledges the existence of powerful heavenly souls (Yaksha and Yakshini) that look after the well beings of Thirthankarars. Usually, they are found in pair around the idols of Jinas as male (yaksha) and female (yakshini) guardian deities. Even though they have supernatural powers, they are also wandering through the cycles of births and deaths just like most other souls. Over time, people started worshiping these deities as well.

[PARAMASHIVAN]

Again,so much similarities with hinduism , what was the main purpose of seperation?

[Shakthiprabha]

As far as I understand,

Most religion finally leads to the same goal.
They lay the same rules to follow during the path of reaching the goal.

So...why wont there be similarities ?

My basic understanding is that, buddhism and jainism concentrated more on "attainment of perfection" ...while hinduism has something to say for any individual with even very little or nil amount of evolvement.

I may be wrong and would stand corrected if someone else posts better reasons.

thankyou.

[PARAMASHIVAN]

As far as I understand,

Most religion finally leads to the same goal.
They lay the same rules to follow during the path of reaching the goal.

So...why wont there be similarities ?

My basic understanding is that, Buddhism and Jainism concentrated more on "attainment of perfection" ...while Hinduism has something to say for any individual with even very little or nil amount of evolvement.

I may be wrong and would stand corrected if someone else posts better reasons.

Thank you.

Most Religion tend to use 'Emotions known as Bhakthi' to attain Moksha, but Hinduism says you can attain 'Moksha' through both by ' Bhakthi' and my ' Intellectual'

Most people tend to use 'Bhakthi' as a way to attain ‘Moksha’; this is a kind of human emotion. Emotion arises in your mind like any other feelings like, anger, greed, lust, depressed so on... these feeling are 'Maya' not real.

Meditation can lead you to be yogi, a yogi has no bonding with world or worldly things, he has no emotions, he will simply be in 'Nirvana' state, he will have no mental or physical feeling, this is why we have Lord Shiva as yogi, and he sits in deep meditation. The mediation, yoga all derived from ' Adi yogi' Lord Shiva to enable every soul to understand its true nature through, self realization

If you take your self, the world you live in exists only in your mind, your mind is half memory and half imagination, your body is an accumulation of all the food & water your body has consumed. The world exists for you through your five senses

When your five senses are not working (when you are in coma or sleeping) the world does not exist for you, it doesn’t right? What does this tell you?

[Mahavir]

Well, I have observed that no one like to share the core concepts in Jainism and just talk about non-violence, vegetarianism and soul, rituals etc. Please have a look on What Jains do Not Tell You about Jainism: http://jainismus.hubpages.com/hub/Wh...-About-Jainism