ASSIGNMENT ON VALUE EDUCATION
Topic:
JAINISM
Submitted to: ANITHA DELWIN
Submitted by: ALFIN M ANTONY
Reg No: A8128906 III HMCS
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JAINISM Jainism is an Indian religion that prescribes pacifism and a path of non-violence towards all living beings. Its philosophy and practice emphasize the necessity of self-effort to move the soul towards divine consciousness and liberation. Any soul that has conquered its own inner enemies and achieved the state of supreme being is called Jina . Jainism is also referred to as Shraman Dharma or the religion of Nirgantha by ancient texts. Jainism is commonly referred to as Jain Dharma in Hindi and Samanam in Tamil. Jain doctrine teaches that Jainism has always existed and will always exist, but for academic purposes, historians date the foundation of organized Jainism to sometime between the 9th and the 6th centuries BCE. Some have speculated that the religion may have its roots in much earlier times, reflecting native spirituality prior to the Indo-Aryan migration into India. In the modern world, it is a small but influential religious minority with as many as 4.2 million followers in India, and successful growing immigrant communities in North America, Western Europe, the Far East, Australia and elsewhere. Jains have successfully sustained this longstanding religion to the present day and have significantly influenced and contributed to ethical, political and economic spheres in India. Jains have an ancient tradition of scholarship and have the highest degree of literacy for a religious community in India; Jain libraries are the oldest in the country.Tamil Jains and Kannada Jains who are native to their regions, residing in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka respectively early since the 1st century BCE, are distinguishable from North Indian Jains in some of their routines and practices, but the core philosophies and belief systems are the same for all Jain communities. CORE BELIEFS OF JAINISM Every living being has a soul. Every soul is potentially divine, with innate qualities of infinite knowledge, perception, power, and bliss. Regard every living being as you do yourself, harming no one and being kind to all living beings. Every soul is born as a heavenly being, human, sub-human or hellish being according to its own karma. Every soul is the architect of its own life, here or hereafter. When a soul is freed from karmas, it becomes free and attains divine consciousness, experiencing infinite knowledge, perception, power, and bliss. Right Faith, Right Knowledge, and Right Conduct provide the way to this realization. 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 through its own efforts. Non-violence 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.
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Jainism stresses the importance of controlling the senses including the mind, as they can drag one far away from true nature of the soul. Limit possessions and lead a life that is useful to yourself and others. Owning an object by itself is not possessiveness; however, attachment to an object is. Nonpossessiveness 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 afflicted souls, and tolerate the perversely inclined. Four things are difficult for a soul to attain: 1. human birth, 2. knowledge of the laws governing the souls, 3. absolute conviction in the philosophy of non-violence, and 4. practicing it in everyday life activities. It is, therefore, 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. 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 in respect to liberated souls still in human form, fully liberated souls, spiritual leaders, teacher and all the monks. By saluting them saying "namo namaha", Jains receive inspiration from them to follow their path to achieve true bliss and total freedom from the karmas binding their souls. In this main prayer, Jains do not ask for any favours or material benefits. This mantra serves as a simple gesture of deep respect toward beings that are more spiritually advanced. The mantra also reminds followers of the ultimate goal of reaching nirvana or moksha. Jains worship the icons of Jinas, Arihants, and Tirthankars, who have conquered the inner passions and attained divine consciousness, and study the scriptures of these liberated beings. Jainism acknowledges the existence of powerful heavenly souls that look after the well-beings of Tirthankarars. Usually, they are found in pair around the icons of Jinas as male and female guardian deities. Even though they have supernatural powers, these deities are also souls wandering through the cycles of births and deaths just like most other souls. Over time, people started worshiping these deities as well.
AHIMSA IN JAINISM Ahisa in Jainism is a fundamental principle forming the cornerstone of its ethics and doctrine. The term "ahimsa" means non-violence, non-injury or absence of desire to harm any life forms. Vegetarianism and other non-violent practices and rituals of Jains flow from the principle of Ahisa. According to Adian Rankin, the concept of Ahisa is so much intertwined with Jainism that it conjures up images of ascetics who cover their mouths and sweep the ground before them with small brushes to avoid injuring the most minuscule forms of life and Jain-owned animal sanctuaries where even the sickest, most deformed birds and beasts are protected and cherished. These overt manifestations of an ancient faith challenge the comfortable - and near-universal - assumption of human precedence over other creatures.
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CONCLUSION By this assignment I got informations about Jainism and its core beliefs. Also I got some idea about ahimsa in Jainism. Himsa is this tendency to harm others that ultimately harms ones own soul. Furthermore, the Jains have extended the concept of Ahisa not only to humans but to all animals, plants, micro-organisms and all beings having life or life potential.
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