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Morton's 7th Law of the Public Policy Process: "Expand the Leadership." Make that your priority.
LIFE TO LIBERATION: A SLIDE SHOW ON BHAGWAN MAHAVIRSWAMI
presented by the Jain Society of Metropolitan Chicago, pathshala level IV
Why is it that in our times Mahavira seems to be considered much more 'important' than the other Tirthankaras? Why do we attempt to imitate Mahavir's life? For what reasons do we 'worship' Lord Mahavira and the other Tirthankaras, when we know they are not creators, rewarders or punishers of the world?
The life and mission of Shri Bhagwan Mahavir, has been an inspiring force for millions of people for hundred of years. His life was full of significant events that led to Nirvana. His benevolent thoughts and compassionate actions have been captioned in color slides prepared from paintings by Gokuldas Kapadia from the book Tirthankara Bhagawan Mahavira Illustrated (Published by Jain Sanskruti Kala Kendra and Shri Parsva Padmavati Trust). The live narration will be enhanced with background music.
The life of Shri Bhagavan Mahavira was full of compassion, truth, Ahinsa, and austerity, which were aided by meditation of the highest order and of the purest form, culminating in the attainment of Nirvana. In the doctrines preached by him exist the path to salvation. What they require is their proper assimilation and translation into action. His messages of Ahinsa, Anekantavada, and acceptance of the spirit of austerity, speech and action, can usher in an era of eternal bliss. His message is for mankind as a whole.
Around the sixth century BC, India's religious and social conditions had taken an ugly shape. Animal sacrifices in the name of religion were rampant. The caste system had lost meaning as a social order system and had become a symbol of supremacy and oppression. Under such conditions Mahavira was born in 599 BC, in a place called Kshatriyakunda (present day Bihar). Due to the increasing prosperity of their kingdom soon after the child's birth, his parents Siddhartha and mother Trishala named him Vardhaman, which means "increasing". Being a son of nobility he had access to a variety of worldly pleasures and comforts. But two years after the death of his parents, and with the permission of his elder brother, at the age of 30 he left his family and royal household, gave up all his possessions and became a Jain monk in search of a solution for life.
Mahavira spent the next twelve and a half years in deep silence and meditation to conquer his desires and attachments. He went without food for long periods. He was so calm and peaceful against unbearable hardships that he was given the epithet "Mahavira", meaning very brave or courageous. During this period, his spiritual powers fully developed and in the end he realized perfect perception, knowledge, power and bliss. This realization is known as Kevalgnan or enlightenment.
Mahavira spent the next 30 years traveling around India
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barefoot and without clothes, preaching to the people the eternal truth he realized. The ultimate objective of his teaching is how one can attain total freedom from the cycle of birth, misery, and death, and achieve the permanent blissful state known as Nirvana.
Mahavira explained that from eternity, every living being due to its ignorance is in bondage of karma particles. Then these particles are continuously accumulated by our good or bad deeds. Under the influence of karma the soul is habituated to seek pleasures in materialistic belongings. This is the deeprooted cause of self-centered violent thoughts and passions. These result in further accumulation of karma.
In matters of spiritual advancement, as envisioned by Mahavira, both males and females are on an equal footing. The lure of renunciation and liberation attracted women as well. Many women followed Mahavira's path and renounced the world in search of ultimate truth and happiness. Thus the principles of Jainism, if properly understood in their right perspective and faithfully adhered to, will bring contentment and inner happiness in the present life. This will elevate the soul in future reincarnations to a higher spiritual level.
At the age of 72, in 527 BC, Bhagavan Mahavira attained Nirvana and his purified soul left his body and achieved complete liberation. Lord Mahavira was the twenty-fourth and last Tirthankar of the Jain religion of this era. Jainism existed before Mahavira and his teachings, and was based on the teachings of his predecessors.
However Mahavira made religion simple and natural, free from elaborate ritual complexities. His teachings reflected the internal beauty and harmony of the soul. Mahavira stressed the importance of a positive attitude in life. Mahavira's message of the Five Great Vows (Pancha Mahavratas), Nonviolence, Truth, Non-Stealing, Celibacy, and Non-Possessiveness, is full of universal compassion. Mahavira emphasized that all living beings, irrespective of their size and shape, are equal and we should love and respect them. This way he preached the gospel of universal love.
MANTRAS
presented by Sanjiv Jain
What's the difference between a mantra and an ordinary Jain prayer? Who composed the mantras of Jainism? ♦ How were they supposed to be recited? By remixing them or changing their tempo, are we really disrespecting the mantras? Scholars and historians say that the Sanskrit word 'Om' (or 'Aum'), which Jains do tend to use nowadays, is not truly Jain but instead originated in the elaborate sacrifice-rituals of the Hindu Vedic religion. Although it has been given a 'Jainized' definition over the centuries, does the 'Om' word really belong with our ancient Prakrit mantras? Are we actually corrupting the original by injecting 'Om' as part of the Namokar Mantra?
We will explore the interpretation of various mantras, beginning with the Namokar Mantra and then the Rishi Mandal Mantra.
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