Founding and HistoryJainism is a religion of India concentrated largely in Gujarat and Rajasthan, in the state of Karnataka (Mysore), as well as in the larger cities of the Indian peninsula. Jainism emerged towards the end of a time of great social transformation in north India which is usually called the Vedic period. The word "Jainism" derives from the Sanskrit word 'jina ' (to conquer). It is the struggle and the subsequent victory of the Jain tirthankaras, "makers of the river crossing", over passion and bodily senses. This victory is necessary for the complete purity of soul, which is the religious goal for every Jain. This religion has survived in India for almost 2,500 years and is ...view middle of the document...
Jainism does not believe in God as a creator, survivor, and destroyer of the universe. However Jainism does believe in God. When a living being destroys all his karmas, he possesses enlightenment, becoming omniscient. Thereby, this living being is a God of Jain religion. Hence Jains do not believe in one God, Gods in Jain religion are continuously increasing as more living beings attain a pure soul for liberation. To attain a pure soul, a person destroys all eight types of his karmas in the following sequence. First Mohaniya (delusion), then Jnana-varaniya (knowledge), Darasna-varaniya (vision), and Antaraya (natural qualities) all three together. Lastly the remaining four namely Nama (body), Ayu (life span), Gotra (social standing), and Vedniya (pleasure and pain of the body). Every living being has a potential to become God of the Jain religion. One of the most common terms used to describe a pure soul is paramatman, or the "supreme self".HumanityJains believe that the universe is made up of two types, jiva and ajiva. Jiva consists of an infinite number of living things. Ajiva is matter in all its forms and the conditions under which matter exists: time, space, motion and rest. Both jiva and ajiva are eternal; will never cease to exist. The jiva is pure, while ajiva (matter) is not. The whole world is made up of jivas trapped in ajiva; therefore, any contact whatsoever of the jiva with the ajiva causes suffering. In every human being, a jiva is trapped, and the jiva suffers because of its contact with ajiva. All jivas are equal in size and quality, only the matter they entwine differs. Jains believe that even plants, insects, and animals are capable of religious participation because to a certain degree they obtain the senses (sight, hearing, tasting, touching, and smelling). Yet to reach spiritual perfection, a soul must be reborn into a human body.CosmosJainism universe is also called the loka, very vast but of fixed dimensions. The shape of the universe can be described as resembling the body of a man with arms at angles, hands on waist and legs apart. The universe structure is divided in three tiers. At the top, the liberated pure souls rest. Above the waist (upper tier), is where the heavens are, ordered increasing in brightness and pleasures. At the middle tier (at the waist) is where all the humans are. The lower tier is where hell exists. The middle tier which is called the Middle Realm is where the infinite worlds are arranged in countless rings. Each ring of land is followed by a ring of water. The central land of the Middle Realm is called Jambudvipa, where humans live. All the remaining land or water rings do not have human life. Below the Middle Realm is a series of hells, each successively darker and unpleasant, where hell beings suffer tortures inflicted by demons. Underneath the bottommost hell, there are no habitations, only clouds. Jain universe is eternal but not unchangeable, because it passes through an endless series of...
