Introduction to Jainism

Author(s): Rudi Jansma, Sneh Rani Jain
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

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INTRODUCTION TO JAINISM
Though women can become nuns dressed in a single white sari – and there are many in this sect - each of them will have to wait until karma allows them to incarnate into a male body in order to be able to pursue the path of emancipation to its very end. This seems worse than it is, at least in the eyes of westerners, because the path takes many lifetimes anyway, and even the most tenacious male practitioners can not reach salvation in this dark age. The other sect, calling themselves Svetāmbaras – those clothed in white robes – are equally serious in their views, but the monks and nuns wear pure white cotton garments. It will be clear that the Digambara monks can never compromise, not even with themselves, as far as possessions and behavior are concerned. But for the Svetāmbaras social intercourse is much easier. Moreover they believe that women have the same opportunities to reach salvation as men do, and that salvation can be reached even in the present era of spiritual darkness – in contrast to the opinion of the Digambaras. I myself have developed close and very friendly contacts with both sects.
Influence
The Jain system of teaching is by nature scientific and philosophical rather than devotional. The devotion of Jains consists primarily of putting their teachings into practice, i.e. pure ethics, as was the case with the ancient Hindu Rājā Yogis. That is why they have often occupied such high positions in Indian society. Their architecture is among the most refined in India, and is traditionally pure and simple compared to Hindu architecture, because the Jains do not pay homage to a pantheon of deities as the Hindus do, but only show their reverence and gratitude towards their spiritual teachers, the Tīrthamkaras. Later temples, especially those of the Svetambaras, became more and more ornate, and excel in lavish beauty, as we can see for example in Dilwara and Ranakpur in Rajasthan. The Tīrthamkaras have about the same status for Jains as the Buddhas for the Buddhists. The