What is Jainism? Definition, History.

Origin

Ancient religion that originated in india

It gave importance on spiritual purity

Enlightenment through non violence

Lord mahavira

Known as the founder of jainism

He formalized the philosphy of jainism

Later their chief disciples known as ‘ganadharas’ composed all jain scriptures

Tirthankara

Spritual teachers of jainism  

‘jina’ means ‘victor’

Rare individuals who got victory over the cycles of death and rebirth

Biographies of tirthankaras were written by bhadrabahu in his book ‘kalpsutra’

Kalyanak

Five major events celebrated by jains known as kalyanak

Which are based on major life events of a tirthankara

  1. Garbha kalyanak– when tirthankara’s soul gets departed from previous life and arrived in new mother’s womb.
  2. Janma kalyanak– event of birth of tirthankara’s soul.
  3. Disha kalyanak– event when tirthankara’s soul becomes a monk and give up worldly life.
  4. Kevalgyan kalyanak– event when a tirthankara gets spiritual knowledge and preaches about the purification and liberation of soul.
  5.  nirvana kalyanak– event when tirthankara’s soul leave the physical world and become siddha.
S. No.Tirthankara nameSymbol
1RishabhnathaBull
2AjitanathaElephant
3SambhavanathaHorse
4AbhinandananathaMonkey
5SumatinathaGoose
6PadamaprabhaLotus
7SuparshvanathaSwastika
8ChandraprabhaMoon
9PushpadantaCrocodile
10ShitalanathaKalpavriksha
11ShreyansanathaRhinoceros
12VasupujyaBuffalo
13VimalanathaBoar
14AnantanathaPorcupine
15DharmanathaVajra
16ShantinathaDeer
17KunthunathaGoat
18AranathaFish
19MallinathaKalasha
20MunisuvrataTortoise
21NaminathaBlue water lily
22NeminathaShankha
23ParshvanathaSnake
24MahaviraLion

Facts about jainism

Lord mahavira

Birth – 540 bc kundgram (bihar)

Nirvana- 468 bc (pavapuri)

Father’s name – siddharth

Mother’s name – trishla

Wife’s name – yashoda

Daughter’s name – anojja

Son in law – jamali

Childhood name – vardhman

Got enlightment at jimbhrika village near rijupalika river

Gave his first preaching at rajgriha

Beliefs of jainism

Believed in non existence of god

Absolute knowledge is known as ‘kewalya gyan’

Most important principle is non violence

The famous principle of jainism is ‘syadwad’

Jainism got his spritual thoughts from sankhya darshan

To achieve nirvana, it is compulsory to follow ‘tri ratna’

Tri-ratna of jainism

Samyak darshan

Samyak gyan

Samyak acharan

Five great vows (mahavrat) of jainism

Ahimsa

Satyavachan

Asteya

Aparigriha

Brahmcharya

Sanlekhna

Method to achieve nirvana by give up their food till death

Jain parishads

First jain parishad was organised at patliputra in 322 bc

Second jain parishad was organised at vallbhi gujrat in 522 ad

Sects of jainism

In first jain parishad jainism had divided into two branches-

Shwetambar (wears white clothes)

Digambar (belives all directions as their clothes so they remain naked)

Jain temples

Khajurahoo jain temples were made by chandel rulers

Bahubali (gometeshwar) statue of sravanbelgola is made in 10th by gang dynasty