Jainism

Author(s): N R Guseva
Publisher: Sindu Publications P L

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JAINISM
All that exists was eternal and would remain eternal. There was no creator of the universe, similar to Hindu gods Brahma and Prajapati.
Time is divided in three eras-past, present and future. In every era lived 24 Tirthankars. In the Jain scripture ‘Kalpasutra' and in the glossary ‘Abhidhana Chintamani' composed in the twelfth century by the Jain acharya. Hemchandra and in a number of other works, the life and selflessness of these Tirthankars and the miracles, which they performed, are described. The continuity of their life is measured in units, called 'sea of years', which is equal to one trillion units of time, called 'palya' and they are equal to the time, necessary for ravaging a big cave, filled with trimmed hair, taking out one hair at a time in a century. And only about the last but one Tirthankar (Parshva), it is said that he became an ascetic at the age of 30 and reached perfection at the age of 70. These realistic figures testify according to our opinion to the fact of his exist ence as a historical person whose memory preserved towards the time of the blossoming of Jainism and creation of its canon.
Each era consists of six epochs, called 'ara'. In the course of these epochs, humanity passes the path of great happiness to great grief and again to great happiness. In the first five aras, people become huge and strong and live for long. But by the sixth ara, growth of people decreases to one eubit and the continuity of life reaches up to 16 years. In the following six aras everything passes in the reverse order.
In deep antiquity human beings received all that was necessary for life from the godly trees. All people were equal. Happiness reigned everywhere. But the trees gradually started giving less and less fruits and humanity was threatened with ruin. At this time, the first Tirthankar Rishabha appeared. Having given laws, knowledge, sword, agriculture, trade, cattlebreeding and ink, he saved the people. He created books on sciences and religions but the language of these books was
7. This information is cited from the works of F. Bushanan, Particulars of the Jains; N. T. Colebrooke, Observations on the Sect of Jains.
8. Analogical legends exist amongst the Dravidian hill tribes, in particular with Kadar tribe, living in north Kerala (W. Ruben, l'berlegung zur Geschicte der Religton, p 213).
9. I. Minayevl, Information About Jains and Buddhists.