Introduction to Jainism

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

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INTRODUCTION TO JAINISM
in past centuries and millennia- temples and statues of Jinas by the thousand. All these are meant to create places that inspire purity and spiritual awareness and uplift and elevate the soul, thus constantly reminding people of the highest purpose of existence. Temples are houses of purity, serenity and happiness - those places that human souls most yearn for. Often temples are also centers of intellectuality, if libraries and study rooms are attached. Special events and festivities in Jainism, which always take place around sacred images and spiritual places, attract hundreds of thousands, sometimes even millions of people from all corners of the country and the world.
Thus Jainism takes care of all aspects of life: the physical, the psychological and the spiritual – which of course are inseparable. It is a religion, science and philosophy attending to the "small” sufferings of today of humans, animals, plants and even minerals up to the great aims of the soul of all beings on its ages-long pilgrimage of learning and experience through the universe until it attains perfection.