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Jainism and Jain Way of Life(Philosophy, Religion, and a Way of Life)

By: Yogendra Jain

(yokjain@yahoo.com)

Jain Center of Greater Boston

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Jainism is a Religion

and a Way of Life

(Ahimsa)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=N9NcGAE4WOU

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Animal Compassion

For thousands of years,Jains have been practicing

vegetarianism

Vegetarianism

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ViolenceMeditation & Yoga

For thousands of years,Jains have been practicing

Meditation and Yoga

Meditation

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For thousands of years,Jains have been practicing

Equality

Equality

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Environmentalism

For thousands of years,Jains have been

Environmentalist

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Anekantvad

For thousands of years,Jains have been practicing

Non-Absolutism(Respect other views)(Truth has many perspectives)

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“Soul - God” – Each living being has a Soul; God is a fully enlightened Soul. Each Soul is capable of becoming God.

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Jain Fundamentals

• Who Created the Universe: – No one; Matter changes

• Purpose of Life:– Help each other; Realize one’s own full potential; To

manage one’s passions;

• Who controls your actions– We are responsible for our own actions

• How do we become happy– By managing our passions (anger, greed, ego, pride)

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Jain Fundamentals (cont.)

• Human Suffering is due to: – We are unable to understand our true nature

• Is there reincarnation: – Yes – until we reach full realization

• Is there a Jain “bible”– Yes.

• Tolerance for other religions: – Yes. Respect and understand other faiths

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Jain Fundamentals (cont.) ?

• Why do we pray?– To celebrate the qualities of perfect Soul

• Science– Strong correlation with other religions

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Jain Festivals

• Mahavir’s Birthday:

• Mahavir’s Nirvan Celebration:– Diwali, New year

• Paryshan Parv:–Remembering and Practicing the

qualities of the Soul

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• Non-Violence (Ahimsa)– Strengthens the autonomy of life of every

being; Ahimsa - diet, fellow being, environment, thoughts and actions

• Non-One-Sidedness (Anekantavad)– Strengthens the autonomy of thought of every

individual

• Non-Possession (Aparigraha)– Strengthens the interdependence of all and

share limited resources

Essence of Jainismin Thoughts/Speech/Action …

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Timeline

571ADMohammed

Judaism

Christianity

Jainism

Hinduism

Islam

2600BCAbraham

2200BCExodus from Egypt

30BCChrist

Beginningless/Endless

Beginningless/Endless 557BC, Mahavir

483BCGautam Buddha

1940sAD Israel

Buddhism

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Mahavira ca. 599-527 BCE

•Parallels Buddha’s life

•Family wealth vs. poverty

•Joined ascetics

•Became far more extremein practice of Non-Violence

•Ahimsa yields true release

•Ahimsa produces Jina (release from this life or conqueror over attachment, hence the name Jain)

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ViolencePalitana, Gujarat

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Jain Monastics: Digambara (“sky clad male monks”)

– Given up all belongings– Live alone or in small

groups in the forests– Teach Jainism – Spend 3 months during

rainy season in one location (to minimize killing insects on the ground from excessive walking)

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Jain Monastics: Two major sects

• Svetambara (“white clad”)– Wear white robes– Live in community– Admit both men and

women– Some wear face masks

to protect minute life forms from harm

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Jain Way of Life is Universal Irrespective of your Religion

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“Validated” Treasure in Jainism• Non-Violence• Filtered/boiled water• Jain mathematics• Plant life & Environmentalism • Equality towards women• Animal Protection• Molecules and atoms• Compassionate diet/

Vegetarianism• Meditation and Yoga – mind

“More than 2500 Years old…”

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Jainsim Soul

Western Schools:Soul

Internal God/Soul versus External God

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QUALITIES OF SOUL

• QUALITIES

EverlastingEverlasting

SentienceSentience

Omniscience

Omniscience

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LiberationLiberation

Liberation

Omniscience

Knowledge Covering

Intuition Covering

View DeludingSensation

Body

Status

Obstructive

Life span

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Choice: Circle of Life or Moksha

Circle of Life

Moksha

and “Death”

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eastern schools:cycle of life/death - nirvana

western schools:linearity of life cycle

enlightenment

Karma & Reincarnation

birth: pure state

death

heaven

hell

cycle of life/death

elimination of karmic bondage

nirvana

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Different Core

External god controls you

Religion/philosophy/scienceseparate

Linear nature of life/death

As you sow so you reap onjudgement day

Eastern Schools:Western Schools:

God is the soul – within you

Karma determine your next life

Cyclic nature of life/death - nirvana

Religion and philosophy are intertwined

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A profound truth for all times

“One who neglects or disregards the existence of earth, air, fire, water and vegetation, disregards his own existence which is entwined with them”

- Lord Mahavir (599-527 BC)

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Help Each Other

• Parasparopgraho Jivänäm – – Tattvärtha Sutra

All life is bound together by mutual support and interdependence (If one does not care for nature one does not care for oneself)– Refreshingly contemporary in its premise

and in its promise. – Forms the basis of the modern day science

of ecology.

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Non-violence and Compassion(in Jain Scriptures)

• Ahimsä is disciplined behavior towards every living being -

– Dashvaikalika Sutra (6/9)

• Absence of violence of any sort towards all beings at all times is Ahimsä.

– Yogasutra

• In its absolute definition:

‘Ahimsä is the absence of destructive thoughts, feelings or attitude’

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Why are Jains vegetarians?

Non-vegetarian Living - Cruelty to Animals:

• Animals Killed per Day in USA

Cattle - 130,000

Calves - 7,000

Hogs - 360,000

Chickens - 24,000,000

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Why are Jains Vegetarians (cont.)?

Non-vegetarian Living - Impact on Ecology• Greenhouse effect

– World's 1.3 billion cows annually produce 100 million tons of methane

– Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas which traps 25 times as much solar heat as CO2

• Water Consumption– Livestock (Cattle, Calves, Hogs, Pigs) production

accounts for more than half of all the water consumed in USA.

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Why are Jains Vegetarians ?

Non-vegetarian Living - Impact on Ecology• Land Usage

– A third of the surface of North America is devoted to grazing

– Half of American croplands grow livestock feed for meat and dairy products

– 220 million acres of land in the USA have been deforested for livestock production

– 25 million acres in Brazil, and half the forests in Central America

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Non-Possession

• Non-Possession/Self-restraint is the second most important Jain principle – Reduce one’s needs and wants as far as

possible.– Not to waste the gifts of nature– Nature provides enough for our NEED not

enough for our GREED

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• “Aparigraha seve attai karanti prananam behanam”

– Lord Mahavir

• We kill other lives because of our greed and possessiveness.

• This is the primary cause of all violence as well as imbalance in the environment.

The ancient Jain scriptural aphorism