ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 01

Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies

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Indian religions since Moghul times. Now, Atma Vallabh Smaraka in North Delhi, Ahimsā Sthala in South Delhi and over 500 temples in Delhi alone are indicative of their contribution to the Indian religious-cultural heritage. Similarly large corpus of Jain literature in Indian languages like Kannad, Prakrit and Sanskrit etc is an example of their contribution to Indian
literature.
Antiquity: Jainism is an independent religion belonging to the Sramanic tradition in India. Buddhism also belongs to this tradition. Jains claim their religion to be eternal. Jain holy texts describe their first Tirthamkara/ford-maker (achiever and propagator of the Jain path of spiritual purification) of the present time cycle. Rşabhadeva existed several millennia ago. References of vātarasanā, vrátyas, munis and Rşabhadeva in Vedas and Aristanemi in Mahābhārata take Jainism way back. Similarly excavations from Mohanjodaro and Gujarat show signs of nude Jain idols in meditative posture (padmāsana) establish that Jainism existed more than 4000 years ago. Historically it exists from the time of Lord Pārsvanātha (2900 years ago) and reestablished by Lord Mahāvīra around 2600 years ago. More research is needed to establish antiquity of Jainism.
Since 1st century BC Jains have been assimilating their religious practices with other Indian religious systems as well as influencing their rituals (idol worship, eliminate animal or human sacrifice) and philosophies (non-violence and path of spiritual purification. Jains thus assimilate with the society they live in fairly easily.
Salient features of Jainism:
God is neither the creator, nor destroyer or administrator of the universe. The universe is eternal; it existed from times immemorial, and will exist forever and only its form and contents go through a process of change continuously. The five co-factors, namely nature (svabhāva); predetermined associations (niyati), time; past karmas and efforts can explain all the events/changes taking place. Reality i.e. 'sat is defined as 'existent' which is called substance dravya. Substance is further classified as jīva or sentient/living beings and ajīva or insentient/non-living beings. Primary characteristic of reality/substance is 'permanence with change' or with origination/destruction and permanence. Jīva is further subdivided as pure / liberated and saṁsārī /empirical soul. Empirical souls are further classified in many ways and the most common classification is sthāvara /
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