Jainism

Jainism (pronounced /ˈdʒeɪnɪzəm/) is an ancient religion of India that prescribes a path of non-
violence towards all living beings. Its philosophy and practice emphasize the necessity of self-
effort to move the soul towards divine consciousness and liberation. Any soul that has conquered
its own inner enemies and achieved the state of supreme being is called Jina (Conqueror or
Victor).

Jainism is also referred to as Shraman (self-reliant) Dharma or the religion of Nirgantha (who
does not have attachments and aversions) by ancient texts. Jainism is commonly referred to as
Jain Dharma in Hindi and Samanam in Tamil.

Jainism, which its followers consider to have always existed,[1][2][3] is believed by historians to
have arisen between the ninth and the sixth centuries BCE.[4][5][6][7][8] Some have speculated that
the religion may have its roots in much earlier times, reflecting native spirituality from before the
Indo-Aryan migration into India.[9][10][11] In the modern world, it is a small but influential religious
minority with as many as 4.2 million followers in India,[12] and successful growing immigrant
communities in North America, Western Europe, the Far East, Australia and elsewhere.[13]

Jains successfully sustained this ancient religion to this era and have significantly influenced and
contributed to ethical, political and economic spheres in India. Jains have an ancient tradition of
scholarship and have the highest degree of literacy in India;[14][15] Jain libraries are the oldest in
the country.[16] Tamil Jains and Kannada Jains who are native to their regions, residing in Tamil
Nadu and Karnataka respectively early since 1st century BCE,[17] are distinguishable in some of
their routines and practices from North Indian Jains, but the core philosophies and belief systems
are the same for both cultures.

History

Jainism timeline

[show]Pre-history
History

[show]The age of Tīrthaṇkaras

[show]The age of Kevalins
[show]The age of Sruta-kevali's
[show]The Agamic Age
[show]The Age of Logic

Further information: Timeline of Jainism

Parshvanatha, the twenty-third Tirthankar, is the earliest Jain leader who can be reliably dated.
As noted, however, Jain mythology asserts that the line of Tirthankars in the present era began
with Rushabhdeva; moreover, Jains themselves believe that Jainism has no single founder, and
that it has always existed and will always exist, although it is occasionally forgotten by humans.
[1][2]

According to scholars, Parshvanatha probably lived in the 9th Century BC.[47][48] In the sixth
century BC, Vardhamana Mahavira became one of the most influential Jainism teachers. He built
up a large group of disciples that learned from his teachings and followed him as he taught an
ascetic doctrine in order to achieve enlightenment. The disciples referred to him as Jina, which
means "the conqueror" and later his followers would use this title to refer to themselves.[49]

It is generally accepted that Jainism started spreading in south India from the third century BC.
i.e. since the time when Badrabahu, a preacher of this religion and the head of the monks'
community, came to Karnataka from Bihar.[50]

Kalinga (modern Orissa and Osiaji) was home to many Jains in the past. Rushabh, the first
Tirthankar, was revered and worshipped in the ancient city Pithunda. This was destroyed by
Mahapadma Nanda when he conquered Kalinga and brought the statue of Rushabhanatha to his
capital in Magadh. Rushabhanatha is revered as the Kalinga Jina. Ashoka's invasion and his
Buddhist policy also subjugated Jains greatly in Kalinga. However, in the 1st century BC
Emperor Kharvela conquered Magadha and brought Rushabhnath's statue back and installed it in
Udaygiri, near his capital, Shishupalgadh. The Khandagiri and Udaygiri caves near Bhubaneswar
are the only surviving stone Jain monuments in Orissa. Earlier buildings were made of wood and
were destroyed.

Deciphering of the Brahmi script by James Prinsep in 1788 enabled the reading of ancient
inscriptions in India and established the antiquity of Jainism. The discovery of Jain manuscripts
has added significantly to retracing Jain history. Archaeologists have encountered Jain remains
and artifacts at Maurya, Sunga, Kishan, Gupta, Kalachuries, Rashtrakut, Chalukya, Chandel and
Rajput as well as later sites. Several western and Indian scholars have contributed to the
reconstruction of Jain history. Western historians like Bühler, Jacobi, and Indian scholars like
Iravatham Mahadevan, worked on Tamil Brahmi inscriptions.

Culture
] Jain contributions to Indian culture
A Jain temple in Kochi, Kerala, India.

While Jains represent less than 1% of the Indian population, their contributions to culture and
society in India are significant. Jainism had a major influence in developing a system of
philosophy and ethics that had a great impact on all aspects of Indian culture. Scholarly research
and evidences have shown that philosophical concepts considered typically Indian – Karma,
Ahimsa, Moksa, reincarnation and like – either originate in the sramana school of thought or
were propagated and developed by Jaina and Buddhist teachers.[54]
Jains have also contributed to the culture and language of the Indian states Tamil Nadu,
Karnataka, Gujarat and Rajasthan. Great ancient Tamil books titled Silapathigaram, Seevaka
Sinthamani, Manimegalai, Naaladiyar, etc. were written by Jain scholars. In the beginning of the
medieval period, between the 9th and 13th centuries, Kannada writers were predominantly of the
Jain and Veerashaiva faiths. Jains were the earliest known cultivators of Kannada literature,
which they dominated until the 12th century. Jain authors wrote about Jain Tirthankars and other
aspects of the Jain religion. Pampa[55] (Kannada: ಪಂಪ, born 902 C.E.), also known as Adikavi
Pampa (Kannada: ಆದಿಕವಿ ಪಂಪ), is one of the greatest Kannada poets of all time and was the
court poet of Chalukya King Arikesari, a Rashtrakuta feudatory. The works of Jain writers
Adikavi Pampa, Sri Ponna and Ranna, collectively called the "three gems of Kannada literature",
heralded the age of classical Kannada in the 10th century. The earliest known Gujarati text,
Bharat-Bahubali Ras, was written by a Jain monk. Some important people in Gujarat's Jain
history were Acharya Hemacandra Suri and his pupil, the Chalukya ruler Kumarapala.

Doorway detail of a Dilwara Temple.

Jains are among the wealthiest Indians. They run numerous schools, colleges and hospitals and
are important patrons of the Somapuras, the traditional temple architects in Gujarat. Jains have
greatly influenced Gujarati cuisine. Gujarat is predominantly vegetarian (see Jain vegetarianism),
and its food is mild as onions and garlic are omitted. Though the Jains form only 0.42% of the
population of India, their contribution to the exchequer by way of income tax is an astounding
24% of the total tax collected.[56]

Jains encourage their monks to do research and obtain higher education. Jain monks and nuns,
particularly in Rajasthan, have published numerous research monographs. This is unique among
Indian religious groups and parallels Christian clergy. The 2001 census states that Jains are
India's most literate community and that India's oldest libraries at Patan and Jaisalmer are
preserved by Jain institutions.

Jain literature
Sanskrit manuscript about dreams of Mahaviras' mother Trishala

Jains have contributed to India's classical and popular literature. For example, almost all early
Kannada literature and many Tamil works were written by Jains.

 Some of the oldest known books in Hindi and Gujarati were written by Jain scholars. The first
autobiography in Hindi, Ardha-Kathanaka was written by a Jain, Banarasidasa, an ardent
follower of Acarya Kundakunda who lived in Agra.
 Many Tamil classics are written by Jains or with Jain beliefs and values as the core subject.
 Practically all the known texts in the Apabhramsha language are Jain works.

The oldest Jain literature is in Shauraseni and Ardha-Magadhi Prakrit (Agamas, Agama-Tulya,
Siddhanta texts, etc.). Many classical texts are in Sanskrit (Tatvartha Sutra, Puranas, Kosh,
Sravakacara, mathematics, Nighantus etc.). "Abhidhana Rajendra Kosha" written by Acharya
Rajendrasuri, is only one available Jain encyclopedia or Jain dictionary to understand the Jain
Prakrit, Sanskrit, and Ardha-Magadhi and other Jain languages, words, their use and references
with in oldest Jain literature. Later Jain literature was written in Apabhramsha (Kahas, rasas, and
grammars), Hindi (Chhahadhala, Mokshamarga Prakashaka, and others), Tamil
(Jivakacintamani, Valayapathi, Naaladiyaar and others), and Kannada (Vaddaradhane and
various other texts). Jain versions of Ramayana and Mahabharata are found in Sanskrit, Prakrit,
Apabhramsha and Kannada.

[edit] Jainism and other religions

See also: Buddhism and Jainism, Islam and Jainism, and Jainism and Sikhism

Jains are not a part of the Vedic Religion (Hinduism).[57][58][59] Ancient India had two
philosophical streams of thought: The Shramana philosophical schools, represented by Jainism
movement, and the Brahmana/Vedic/Puranic schools represented by Vedanta, Vaishnava and
other movements. Both streams have existed side by side for few thousands of years, influencing
each other.[60]

The Hindu scholar, Lokmanya Tilak credited Jainism with influencing Hinduism and thus
leading to the cessation of animal sacrifice in Vedic rituals. Bal Gangadhar Tilak has described
Jainism as the originator of Ahimsa and wrote in a letter printed in Bombay Samachar,
Mumbai:10 December 1904: "In ancient times, innumerable animals were butchered in
sacrifices. Evidence in support of this is found in various poetic compositions such as the
Meghaduta.

Swami Vivekananda[30][61] also credited Jainism as influencing force behind the Indian culture
and said:

"What could have saved Indian society from the ponderous burden of omnifarious ritualistic
ceremonialism, with its animal and other sacrifices, which all but crushed the very life of it,
except the Jain revolution which took its strong stand exclusively on chaste morals and
philosophical truths? Jains were the first great ascetics and they did some great work. "Don't
injure any and do good to all that you can, and that is all the morality and ethics, and that is all
the work there is, and the rest is all nonsense." And then they went to work and elaborated this
one principle all through, and it is a most wonderful ideal: how all that we call ethics they simply
bring out from that one great principle of non-injury and doing good."