Jainism

Basics

Jainism came into prominence in 6th

century B.C

24 great teachers, the last of whom was

Lord Mahavira

These twenty-four teachers were called

Tirthankaras-people who had attained all
knowledge (Moksha) while living and
preached it to the people.

The first Tirthankara was Rishabnatha.

Hinduism had become rigid and

orthodox with complex rituals and the
dominance of Brahmanas

ainism recognised the existence of god

but placed them lower than Jina
(Mahavira)

It did not condemn the varna system but

attempted to mitigate the evils of the varna
order and the ritualistic Vedic religion.

According to Mahavira, a person is

born in higher or lower varna as the
consequence of the sins or the virtues
in the previous birth. Thus, Jainism
believes in the transmigration of the
soul and the theory of Karma

Anekantavada: Emphasises that the

ultimate truth and reality is complex, and
has multiple-aspects i.e theory of
plurality.

Syadvada: All judgments are conditional,

holding good only in certain conditions,
circumstances, or senses.

The basic difference between them is that

Anekantavada is the knowledge of all
differing but opposite attributes whereas
Syadavada is a process of the relative
description of a particular attribute of an
object or an event.

Vardhamana Mahavira

Vardhamana Mahavira, the 24th

Tirthankara, was born in 540 B.C. in a
village called Kundagrama near Vaishali.

He belonged to the Jnatrika clan and was

connected to the royal family of
Magadha.

At the age of 30 years, he renounced his

home and become an ascetic.

He practised austerity for 12 years and

attained the highest spiritual knowledge
called Kaivalya (i.e conquered misery and
happiness) at the age of 42 years.

He delivered his first sermon at Pava.

A symbol was associated with every

Tirthankara and Mahavira’s symbol was a
lion.

He passed away at the age of 72 in 468

B.C. at the Pavapuri in Bihar.

After 13 years of penance, he attained the

highest spiritual knowledge called Kevala
Jnan. He attained this at Jimbhikagrama
village under a sal tree aged 42. This is
called Kaivalya. Thereafter, he was called
Mahavira, Jina, Jitendriya (one who
conquered his senses), Nigrantha (free
from all bonds), and Kevalin.

All the Tirthankaras were Kshatriyas by

birth.

Rishabha; Ajita; Sambhava;

Abhinandana; Sumati; Padmaprabha;
Supaarshva; Chandraprabha;
Pushpadanta; Shitalnatha; Shreyaamsha;
Vaasupujya; Vimala; Ananta; Dharma;
Shanti; Kuntha; Aara; Mallinaatha;
Munisuvrata; Nami; Nemi; Paarshvanath
and Mahavira.

Jains believe in the dualistic principle of

Jiva (eternal soul) and Ajiva (eternal
element) everywhere. The jiva acts and is
affected by acts , it is a knowing self , the
Ajiva is atomic and unconscious. Every
object s an agglomeration of Ajiva with
atleast one jiva enmeshed in it. Thus even
stones and metals have souls.

Mahavir preached in Magadhi, the

language spoken by the common people.
His teachings were confined to the
Gangetic valley. Though in later years
they spread to different parts of the
subcontinent.

Teachings

It mainly aims at the attainment of

liberation, for which no ritual is required

Three Jewels or Triratna

Right Faith (Samyakdarshana)

Right Knowledge (Samyakjnana)
Right Action (Samyakcharita)

Five Doctrines of Jainism

Ahimsa: Non-injury to a living being

Satya: Do not speak a lie
Asteya: Do not steal

Aparigraha: Do not acquire property

Brahmacharya: Observe continence

Sects

Jain order has been divided into two

major sects: Digambara and Svetambara.
The division occurred mainly due to
famine in Magadha which compelled a
group led by Bhadrabahu to move South
India.

During the 12 years famine, the group in

South India stick to the strict practices
while the group in Magadha adopted a
more lax attitude and started wearing
white clothes.

Digambara

Monks of this sect believe in complete

nudity. Male monks do not wear clothes
while female monks wear unstitched
plain white sarees.

Follow all five vows (Satya, Ahimsa,

Asteya, Aparigraha and Brahmacharya).

Believe women cannot achieve liberation.

Bhadrabahu was an exponent of this sect.

Major Sub-Sects

Mula Sangh
Bisapantha
Terapantha

Taranpantha or Samaiyapantha

Minor Sub-Sets

Gumanapantha
Totapantha

Svetambara

Monks wear white clothes.

Follow only 4 vows (except

brahmacharya).

Believe women can achieve liberation.

Sthulabhadra was an exponent of this

sect.

Major Sub-Sects

Murtipujaka
Sthanakvasi
Terapanthi

Council

First Jain Council

Held at Patliputra in 3rd Century B.C.

and was presided by Sthulbhadra

Second Jain Council

Held at Vallabhi in 512 A.D. and was

presided by Devardhi Kshmasramana.

Architecture

Karnataka has many Jain shrines.

Statue of Gomateshwara: Granite statue
of Lord Bahubali commissioned by
Camundaraya, the prime minister of the
Ganga kings; located at
Shravanabelagola; 18m or 57 feet high;
world’s tallest monolithic free-standing
structure.

In central India: Khajuraho, Deogarh,

Chanderi and Gwalior.

caves

Ellora Caves (Cave No. 30-35)-

Maharashtra

Udayagiri-Khandagiri Caves- Odisha

hey were made under the Kalinga King

Kharavela in 1st-2nd century BC near
modern-day Bhubaneswar.

Udayagiri caves are famous for the

Hathigumpha inscription which is carved
out in Brahmi script.

Hathi-gumpha Cave- Odisha

Sittanavasal Cave- Tamil Nadu

Badami Cave Temples: Badami

(Karnataka) was the capital of Chalukyas.

It has four cave temples based on

Hinduism (3) and Jainism (1).

This is a rock-cut architecture which

dates back to the 6th century AD.

ave 4: It is a Jain cave with intricate

structures of Bahubali, Parshvanatha and
Mahavira with a symbolic display of the
other Tirthankaras.

Ellora Caves

t is a group of 34 caves – 17 Brahmanical,

12 Buddhist and 5 Jain.

These caves were developed during the

period between 5th and 11th centuries
A.D. (newer as compared to the Ajanta
caves).

Pandavleni caves

carved between 3 and 2 AD

initially started by jains, later buddhist

Statues

Gometeshwara/Bahubali Statue-
Shravanabelagola, Karnataka

At the peak of Vindhyagiri, there is a 57

feet high, monolithic statue of Lord
Gommateshwara, also known as Lord
Bahubali, son of the first Tirthankara,
Adinath in tradition.

It was commissioned by Camundaraya,

the General-in-Chief and Prime Minister
of the Ganga Kings of Mysore

Statue of Ahimsa (Rishabnatha)- Mangi-

Tungi hills, Maharashtra

Bawangaja is a famous Jain pilgrim site

in the Barwani district of Madhya
Pradesh. It is known for the world's
largest megalithic statue (carved out of
mountain) of Lord Adinatha, the first
Jain Tirthankara. The statue is 84 feet
high. It was created early in the 12th
century.

There are many Jain idols which are

internationally acclaimed for their
grandiosity. Idols of Lord Bahubali at
Shravanbelgola in Karnataka (983 AD)
and Lord Rishabhdev at Barvani in
Madhya Pradesh need special mention
for their magnificence. Palitana is one of
the prominent pilgrimage sites of jains
known for its variety of idols.

Temple

Dilwara Temple- Mount Abu, Rajasthan

Jain Temples at Mount Abu, Rajasthan

Constructed by Vimal Shah.
Also called Dilwara temples. Built
between the 11th and 13th centuries

Girnar and Palitana Temple- Gujarat

Muktagiri Temple- Maharashtra

Basadis: Jain monastic establishment or

temples in Karnataka.

Manastambha: It is found in the front

side of the temple, having religious
importance with an ornamental pillar
structure carrying the image of
Tirthankar on top and on all four cardinal
directions

Shatrunjaya Temple Complex

It is to be noted that Jain temples are

particularly numerous in Gujarat and
Rajasthan. Shatrunjaya, on the summit of
a steep hill, is replete with temple
complexes with individual examples built
in the standard ‘nagara’ style: i.e.,
complete with shikharas and 45 degree
angle roofs above the mandapas

Ranakpur Jain temple, belonging to the

fifteenth century is one of the most
splendid architecture of Jains. It is
dedicated to lord Adinath, first Jain
Tirthankar. The temple is designed as
chaumukha with four faces and all the
statues facing one another.

Jain temples were mostly built on

platforms or terraces, commonly referred
to as Jagati or Vedi

Jain temples are enclosed by free-

standing high compound walls, called as
Prakara.

Structurally speaking, a Jain temple is

constructed on a square plan with
openings in four cardinal directions, each
of which could lead to the image of a
Tirthanakara. The Chamukh temple of
Lord Adinath is a characteristic example
of the four-door temple.

Texts

Agam or Canonical Literature (Agam

Sutras)

Agam literature consists of many texts,

which are the sacred books of the Jain
religion.

They are written in the Ardha-magadhi, a

form of Prakrit language.

Non‑agam Literature

Non-agam literature consists of

commentary and explanation of Agam
literature, and independent works,
compiled by ascetics and scholars.

They are written in many languages such

as Prakrit, Sanskrit, Apabhramsa, Old
Marathi, Rajasthani, Gujarati, Hindi,
Kannad, Tamil, German, and English.

Buddhism

Jainism recognised the existence of god

while Buddhism did not.
Jainism does not condemn the varna
system while Buddhism does.
Jainism believed in the transmigration of
soul i.e. reincarnation while Buddhism
does not.

Buddhism prescribes a middle path while

Jainism advocates its followers to live the
life of complete austerity

Patrons

South India

Kadamba dynasty
Ganga dynasty
Amoghavarsha

Kumarapala (Chalukya dynasty)

North India

Bimbisara
Ajatasatru
Chandragupta Maurya

Bindusara

Harshavardhana

Ama

Bindusara

Kharavela

Terms

Ganadharas Chief disciples of

Mahavira

Siddha Fully liberated

Jiva Soul

Chaitanya Consciousness

Gunasthanas Stages of
purification

Arhat One who has entered the

stage of kevalajnana

Tirthankara Arhat who has acquired

the capability of teaching the doctrine

Basadis Jaina monastic

establishment