Jainism

Author(s): Pravin K Shah
Publisher: JAINA Education Committee

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Mahavir attracted people from all walks of life, rich and poor, kings and commoners, men and women, princes and priests, touchable and untouchable. Mahavir proclaimed that in the matters of spiritual advancement, both men and women are on an equal footing. Many women followed Mahavir's path and renounced the world in search of ultimate truth and happiness. The most significant contribution of Jainism in the social field was the establishment of social equality among the four classes (Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra) including untouchables prevalent in the society. He organized his followers, into a four-fold order, namely monks (Sadhu), nuns (Sadhvi), laymen (Shravak), and laywomen (Shravika). This order is known as Jain Sangh. There are about six to eight million Jains live almost exclusively in India. About 100,000 Jains live in North America and other countries. A few centuries after Mahavir's nirvana, the Jain religious order (Sangha) grew more and more complex. There established two major sects. In the Digambar sect monks wear no cloths, while the Swetambar monks wear white cloths. Fundamental views of both sects on ethics and philosophy are identical. Each major sect has many sub-sects including idol and non-idol worshiping sects. Later generations saw the introduction of ritualistic complexities, which almost made Jainism a ritualistic religion. JAIN SCRIPTURES: Bhagwan Mahavira's preaching was orally compiled by his immediate disciples in Jain scriptures known as Jain Agam or Agam Sutras, which consist of many texts. These Agam Sutras were not documented in any form but were orally passed on to the future generations. In course of time many of the Agam Sutras have been were memorized and some were modified. About one thousand years later the memorized Agam Sutras were recorded on leafy papers (Tadpatris). Swetambar Jains have accepted these Sutras as an authentic version of Bhagwan Mahavira's. The Agam Sutras teach great reverence for all forms of life, strict codes of vegetarianism, asceticism, nonviolence, and opposition to war.