$JES 911 Essence of World Religions Reference Book

Author(s): Pravin K Shah
Publisher: JAINA Education Committee

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Essence of World Religions
Sutras were documented in 500 AD, which is 1000 years after Lord Mahävir's Nirvana. They are accepted as authentic preaching of Lord Mahävir by the Shvetämbar tradition. The Digambar tradition does not accept them as authentic. The major Ägam Sutras are Ächärang, Sutrakritang, Bhagavati, Dasvaikälik, Kalpa Sutra, and Uttarädhyan Sutra. Digambars follow two main texts; Shatakhand Ägam and Kashaya Pähud, and four Anuyogas which consist of more than 20 texts. Digambar literature is written by great Ächäryas (scholars) from 100 to 1000 AD.
Sects There are two major Sects; Digambar (sky clad) sect and Shvetämbar (white cloth) sect. The Digambar monks wear no clothes, while Shvetämbar monks wear white clothes. Fundamentally the views of both sects on ethics and philosophy are identical. The Shvetämbar sect is divided into three sub Sects; Shvetämbar Murtipujak sect (idol worship), Shvetämbar Sthänakaväsi sect (no idol worship), and Shvetämbar Teräpanthi sect (no idol worship and a different interpretation of some principles)
Adherents About six million, almost exclusively in India. Small communities of Jains exist in UK, Africa, Japan, Canada, and USA. 100,000 Jains reside in North America.
Goals The primary goal of Jainism is to become a perfected or liberated soul, known as Siddha, Paramätmä, or God. The perfected soul is pure consciousness and possesses perfect knowledge, infinite power, total bliss, and omniscience. In Jainism, liberation is defined as self unity, an endless calm, freedom from anger, ego, deceit, greed, and desire, and freedom from birth, death, and rebirth. When it is reached, a human has fulfilled his destiny as a perfect being or God. Every living being has a potential to become God. For Jains, there is no creator God and therefore no communion with Him. This state is attained when all our passions - anger. ego. deceit.
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