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Jainism in India

Although the majority of Indians who are religious follow the path of Hinduism, India has given birth to several other religions that are not based on the Vedas. One of these religions is Jainism, which is practiced by a small minority of Indians and has only recently become well known outside of India (Fisher, 124). This report will examine Jainism with specific reference to the origins and bases of this world religion which has been characterized by Kim Skoog (321) as "one of the three main religio-philosophical traditions to arise within India" which "for assorted reasons, har never commanded the kind of attention that has been directed toward Hinduism and Buddhism."

In general, Buddhist, Hindu, and Jaina philosophical schools share a general set of beliefs regarding the interrelated notions of karma, rebirth, bondage, and liberation, as well as the concept of lesyas or colors (Skoog, 322). The major teacher within Jainism is Mahavira ("The Great Hero"), a contemporary of the Buddha, who died in approximately 526 B.C.E. (McGreal, 167).

After a 12 year period of meditation, silence, and fasting, Mahavira is said to have achieved liberation and perfection, spending 30 years in teaching and missionary work and creating a Jaina community with over 14,100 monks, 36,000 nuns, and 310,000 female and 150,000 male lay followers from all of the castes of India (Fisher, 124). The Jain teachings did not originate with Mahavira who is considered the last of 24 Tirthankaras of the current cosmic cycle. Jainism holds that the universe is without beginning or end and is eternally passing through long cycles of progress and decline. At the beginning of each downward cycle, humans are happy, virtuous, and long-lived with no need for religion. As these qualities decline, humans look to Tirthankaras who create religion in order to steer people away from the emergent evilness in the world (Fisher, 126).

At the heart of right cond...

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Jainism in India. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 10:03, March 29, 2024, from https://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/1695895.html