Jain Center Minnesota MN 2007 07 Pratishtha

Author(s): Jain Center Minnesota USA
Publisher: USA Jain Center Minnesota

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Jainism strives for the realization of the highest perfection of man, which in its original purity is free from all pain, suffering, and the bondage of birth and death.
Ethical Code
The supreme ideal of the Jain religion is nonviolence (Ahimsa), equal kindness, and reverence for all forms of life in speech, thought, and action. Above all it is a religion of love and compassion to all living beings. At the heart of right conduct for Jains lie the five great vows:
Nonviolence (Ahimsa) Truthfulness (Satya) Non-stealing (Asteya) Chastity (Brahmacharya) Non-possession/ Non-attachment
(Aparigraha)
Not to cause harm to any living beings To speak the harmless truth only
Not to take anything not properly given
Not to indulge in sensual pleasure
Complete detachment from people, places, and material things
These vows can not be fully implemented without the acceptance of a philosophy of non-absolutism (Anekantvad) and the theory of relativity (Syadvad). Monks and nuns follow these vows strictly and totally, while the common people follow the vows as far as their life styles will permit.
Ahimsa (Non Violence)
Ahimsa parmo dharmah: Non-violence is the supreme religion.
Ahimsa is a principle that Jains teach and practice not only towards human beings but also towards animals and all nature. The scriptures tell us: Do not injure, abuse, oppress, enslave, insult, torment, torture or kill any creature or living being.
The teaching of ahimsa refers not only to wars and visible physical acts of violence but to violence in the hearts and minds of human beings, their lack of concern and compassion for their fellow humans and for any other living being, Ancient Jain texts explain that violence (Himsa) is not defined by actual harm, for this may be unintentional. It is the intention to harm, the absence of compassion that makes action violent. Without violent thought there could be no violent actions.
In a positive sense, ahimsa means caring for and sharing with all living beings, tending, protecting and serving them. It entails universal friendliness (maitri), universal forgiveness (kshama) and universal fearlessness (abhaya).
Anekantavada (The Doctrine of Manifold Aspects)
The concept of universal interdependence underpins the Jain theory of knowledge, known as anekantavada or the doctrine of manifold aspects. In this ever changing universe (reality), there exist an infinity of viewpoints depending on the time, place, nature and state of the one who is the viewer and that which is viewed. Anekantavada means multifaceted view points.
This leads to the doctrine of syadvada or relativity, which states that truth is relative to different viewpoints (nayas). What is true from one point of view is open to question from another. Absolute truth cannot be grasped from any particular viewpoint alone because absolute truth is the sum total of all the different viewpoints that make up the universe.
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