$JES 901 Jainism and Spiritual Awakening E9

Author(s): JAINA Education Committee
Publisher: JAINA Education Committee

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03-FOUNDER AND LORD MAHÄVIR
The ultimate objectives of his teachings were how one can attain total freedom from the cycle of birth, life, pain, misery, and death, and achieve the permanent blissful state of one's self. This state is also known as liberation, Nirvana, absolute freedom, or Moksha.
At the age of 72 in 527 BC, Lord Mahävir attained Nirvana (the final death) at Päväpuri and his purified soul left his body and achieved complete liberation. He became a Siddha, a pure consciousness, a liberated soul, existing forever in a state of complete bliss. On the evening of his Nirvana, in honor of his spiritual enlightenment, people
Bhagawän Mahävir's last sermon
celebrate the Festival of Lights known as Deepävali. This is the last day of the present Jain calendar year.
Teachings of Lord Mahävir
Lord Mahävir's message of non-violence (Ahimsa), truth (Satya), non-stealing (Achaurya), chastity (Brahmacharya), and nonpossession (Aparigraha) is full of universal compassion and simple living.
Lord Mahävir emphasized that all living beings, irrespective of their size, shape, form, creed and spiritual status, are basically equal and we should love and respect them. In this way, he preached universal love.
In order to attain enlightenment, it is necessary to reduce our wants, curtail our desire, and keep consumption levels within reasonable limits. Using any resource beyond one's needs and misuse of any part of nature is considered a form of theft and an act of violence.
Lord Mahävir said that, "A living body is not merely an integration of limbs and flesh, but it is the abode of the soul which potentially has infinite perception (Anant Darshan), infinite knowledge (Anant Jnän), infinite energy and power (Anant Virya), and total bliss (Anant
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