Jainism

One of the most auspicious festivals for the Jain community, Mahavir Jayanti marks the birth
anniversary of Lord Mahavira,
Which habits of jains can change the world at this moment

Jainism, traditionally known as Jain Dharma, is an ancient Indian religion and a method of

acquiring perfect knowledge of self and universe and perfect joy through extrasensory means
as sensory means are inadequate to aquire them.
Jinwani, Pravachanasara  Samayasāra and Tattvartha Sutra

Myth – Jainism is bhagwaan mahaveera

Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through a succession of twenty-four leaders
or Tirthankaras,[2] with the first in current time cycle being Lord Rishabhanatha, whom the
tradition holds to have lived millions of years ago, the twenty-third tirthankara Lord
Parshvanatha whom historians date to 9th century BCE, and the 24th tirthankara, Lord
Mahavira around 600 BCE. Jainism is considered to be an eternal dharma (anadi-anant) with
the tirthankaras guiding every time cycle of the cosmology.
Jain dharma is one of the world's oldest continuously-practiced religions, and has two major
ancient sub-traditions, Digambaras and Śvētāmbaras, Outside India, some of the largest
communities are in Canada, Europe, and the United States. Jain Dharma is growing in Japan,
where more than 5,000 ethnic Japanese families have converted to Jainism in the 2010-2020
decade.
A caste system not based on birth has been a historic part of Jain society, and Jainism focused
on transforming the individual, not society.

Jainism – a lifestyle.
1. Ahimsa – physical and thought level
2. Kshamawani – to forgive and be forgiven
3. Anekanta
4. Food habits : Intermittent fasting / fasting
5. Aparigraha
6. Achourya
7. Meditation
8. The karma theory
9. My foreign tours / questions about Jainism / antaraya / nudity
10. Samyak darśana (Correct View), meaning faith, acceptance of the truth of soul
(jīva);Samyak gyana (Correct Knowledge), meaning undoubting knowledge of
the tattvas and Samyak charitra (Correct Conduct),

Parasparopagraho Jīvānām (the function of souls is to help one another) is its motto and
the Ṇamōkāra mantra is its most common and basic prayer.
Non-violence (ahimsa)
The principle of ahimsa (non-violence or non-injury) is a fundamental tenet of Jainism. It holds
that one must abandon all violent activity and that without such a commitment to non-violence
all religious behavior is worthless. In Jain theology, it does not matter how correct or defensible
the violence may be, one must not kill or harm any being, and non-violence is the highest
religious duty. Jain texts such as Acaranga Sūtra and Tattvarthasūtra state that one must
renounce all killing of living beings, whether tiny or large, movable or immovable. Its theology
teaches that one must neither kill another living being, nor cause another to kill, nor consent
to any killing directly or indirectly. Furthermore, Jainism emphasizes non-violence against all
beings not only in action but also in speech and in thought. It states that instead of hate or
violence against anyone, "all living creatures must help each other".
The doctrine exists in Hinduism and Buddhism, but is most highly developed in Jainism. The
theological basis of non-violence as the highest religious duty has been interpreted by some Jain
scholars not to "be driven by merit from giving or compassion to other creatures, nor a duty to
rescue all creatures", but resulting from "continual self-discipline", Jains believe that causing
injury to any being in any form creates bad karma which affects one's rebirth, future well being
and causes suffering.
Duniya mein jo desh happiness index mein top par hain, unke mein kai ki khud ki army hi nahi
hai. So why and where violence is needed

Many-sided reality (anekāntavāda)

The second main principle of Jainism is anekāntavāda, from anekānta ("many-sidedness")

and vada ("doctrine"). The doctrine states that truth and reality are complex and always have
multiple aspects. It further states that reality can be experienced, but cannot be fully expressed
with language. spiritual truths can be experienced but not fully expressed. It suggests that the
great error is belief in ekānta (one-sidedness), where some relative truth is treated as
absolute. The doctrine is ancient, found in Buddhist texts such as the Samaññaphala Sutta. The
Jain Agamas suggest that Mahāvīra's approach to answering all metaphysical philosophical
questions was a "qualified yes" (syāt). These texts identify anekāntavāda as a key difference
from the Buddha's teachings.

Non-attachment (aparigraha)
The third main principle in Jainism is aparigraha which means non-attachment to worldly
possessions. For monks and nuns, Jainism requires a vow of complete non-possession of any
property, relations and emotions. The ascetic is a wandering mendicant in the Digambara
tradition, or a resident mendicant in the Śvētāmbara tradition. For Jain laypersons, it
recommends limited possession of property that has been honestly earned, and giving excess
property to charity. According to Natubhai Shah, aparigraha applies to both the material and the
psychic. Material possessions refer to various forms of property. Psychic possessions refer to
emotions, likes and dislikes, and attachments of any form. Unchecked attachment to possessions
is said to result in direct harm to one's personality.
Lesson – Be minimalist, give away

1. Ahiṃsā, "intentional non-violence" or "noninjury": The first major vow taken by Jains is

to cause no harm to other human beings, as well as all living beings (particularly
 animals). This is the highest ethical duty in Jainism, and it applies not only to one's
actions, but demands that one be non-violent in one's speech and thoughts.
2. Jain monastic rules have encouraged the use of mouth cover, as well as the Dandasan –
a long stick with woolen threads – to gently remove ants and insects that may come in
their path.

3. Aparigraha, "non-possessiveness": This includes non-attachment to material and

psychological possessions, avoiding craving and greed. Jain monks and nuns completely
renounce property and social relations, own nothing and are attached to no one.

Practices
Asceticism and monasticism
Of the major Indian religions, Jainism has had the strongest ascetic tradition. Ascetic life may
include nakedness, symbolizing non-possession even of clothes, fasting, body mortification, and
penance, to burn away past karma and stop producing new karma, both of which are believed
essential for reaching siddha and moksha ("liberation from rebirths" and "salvation").
Jain texts like Tattvartha Sūtra and Uttaradhyayana Sūtra discuss austerities in detail. Six outer
and six inner practices are oft-repeated in later Jain texts. Outer austerities include complete
fasting, eating limited amounts, eating restricted items, abstaining from tasty foods, mortifying
the flesh, and guarding the flesh (avoiding anything that is a source of temptation). Inner
austerities include expiation, confession, respecting and assisting mendicants, studying,
meditation, and ignoring bodily wants in order to abandon the body. Lists of internal and
external austerities vary with the text and tradition. Asceticism is viewed as a means to control
desires, and to purify the jiva (soul). The tirthankaras such as the Mahāvīra (Vardhamana) set an
example by performing severe austerities for twelve years.
Food and fasting
The practice of non-violence towards all living beings has led to Jain culture being vegetarian.
Devout Jains practice lacto-vegetarianism, meaning that they eat no eggs, but accept dairy
products if there is no violence against animals during their production. Veganism is encouraged
if there are concerns about animal welfare. Jain monks, nuns and some followers avoid root
vegetables such as potatoes, onions, and garlic because tiny organisms are injured when the
plant is pulled up, and because a bulb or tuber's ability to sprout is seen as characteristic of a
higher living being. Jain monks and advanced laypeople avoid eating after sunset, observing a
vow of ratri-bhojana-tyaga-vrata. Monks observe a stricter vow by eating only once a day.
Jains fast particularly during festivals. This practice is called upavasa, tapasya or vrata, and may
be practiced according to one's ability. Digambaras fast for Dasa-laksana-parvan, eating only one
or two meals per day, drinking only boiled water for ten days, or fasting completely on the first
and last days of the festival,mimicking the practices of a Jain mendicant for the
period. Śvētāmbara Jains do similarly in the eight day paryusana with samvatsari-
pratikramana. The practice is believed to remove karma from one's soul and provides merit
(punya). A "one day" fast lasts about 36 hours, starting at sunset before the day of the fast and
ending 48 minutes after sunrise the day after. 
Meditation
Jainism considers meditation (dhyana) a necessary practice, but its goals are very different from
those in Buddhism and Hinduism. In Jainism, meditation is concerned more with stopping karmic
attachments and activity, not as a means to transformational insights or self-realization in other
Indian religions. According to Padmanabh Jaini, Sāmāyika is a practice of "brief periods in
meditation" in Jainism that is a part of siksavrata (ritual restraint). The goal of Sāmāyika is to
achieve equanimity, and it is the second siksavrata. The samayika ritual is practiced at least
three times a day by mendicants, while a layperson includes it with other ritual practices such
as Puja in a Jain temple and doing charity work. According to Johnson, as well as
Jaini, samayika connotes more than meditation, and for a Jain householder is the voluntary ritual
practice of "assuming temporary ascetic status".
merit for rebirth realms.

Forgiveness

I forgive all living beings,

may all living beings forgive me.
All in this world are my friends,
I have no enemies.

— Jain festival prayer on the last day

The last day involves a focused prayer and meditation session known as Samvatsari. Jains
consider this a day of atonement, granting forgiveness to others, seeking forgiveness from all
living beings, physically or mentally asking for forgiveness and resolving to treat everyone in the
world as friends. Forgiveness is asked by saying "Micchami Dukkadam" or "Khamat khamna" to
others. This means, "If I have offended you in any way, knowingly or unknowingly, in thought,
word or action, then I seek your forgiveness." The literal meaning of Paryushana is "abiding" or
"coming together".
Traditions and sects
The Jain community is divided into two major denominations, Digambara and Śvētāmbara.
Monks of the Digambara (sky-clad) tradition do not wear clothes. Female monastics of the
Digambara sect wear unstitched plain white sarees and are referred to as Aryikas. Śvētāmbara
(white-clad) monastics, on the other hand, wear seamless white clothes.