Portrait of Jain Religion

Author(s): Narendra Jain
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

Page 71

Since there have been innumerable such cycles throughout eternal time, Jain belief is that their religion is at the heart of this eternal cycle. Indeed, Jain scriptures mention the names of Tirthankars in the previous cycle as well as in the next cycle to follow in the next cycle. Many ancient Jain temples in different parts of India have choubisi idols depicting 24 Tirthankars each in the past, present and future cycle of time. Jain religion stands out from other religions with its unique feature of not being a one-Book or one-God religion like Christianity or Islam, or a religion of multiple Gods and Goddesses like Hinduism. In the Jain conception, there is no God sitting in heaven directing or regulating the universe as creator, preserver or destroyer. The universe has always existed and will continue to exist in exact adherence to the laws of the cosmos. There is nothing but infinity both in the past as well as the future. THE EMBLEM OF JAIN RELIGION The Emblem of the Jain religion mirrors the Jain perception of universe in the shape of a polygon. The Swastika in the emblem represents the four innate qualities of the eternal soul, namely Infinite knowledge (Anant Gyan), Infinite perception (Anant Darshana), Infinite bliss (Anant Anand), and Infinite strength (Anant Veerya). The four dots in the Swastika stand for the four gatis (destinations) for a soul in the ongoing cycle of birth and death, namelt heaven (celestial), human beings, animal beings (tiryanch), and hell beings. The single dot on the very top represents the liberated souls- the Siddhas. The three dots just below it stand for the three jewels of the Jain spiritual path viz., Samyak Darshana, Samyak Gyan, and Samyak Charitra..
Sir Fundamental Entities (Dravyas) and nine Tatvas Six fundamental elements or substances or entities (dravya) constitute the creative and constantly interactive force. They have existed in perpetuity and are eternal. No one has created them nor can anyone destroy them. The six fundamental elements
A Portrait of Jain Religion