This book presents a detailed fieldworkbased study of the ancient indian religion of jainism. The holy book of jainism is known as the kalpa sutra or sutras. As a consequence they emit the divine sound divyadhvani which is. Jainism has no belief in a creator god, though there are a number of lesser deities for various aspects of life. The history of jainism after lord mahavira is recorded in the jaina literature preserved in various indian languages. Jainism lays heavy emphasis on nonviolence ahimsa and the believers of this religion, whether a monk or a householder, follow a very strict, well disciplined life. Agams are the jain texts which are based on the discourses of the tirthankaras. Jainism is an eastern religion with origins in the indus river valley dating back to 3000 b. Fundamental beliefs of jainism the soul is bounded by karma from the beginning of time the principles governing the successions of life cycles birth, life, and death is karma.
The texts containing the teachings of mahavira are called the agamas, and are the canonical literature the scriptures of svetambara jainism mahaviras disciples compiled his. The holy book of jainism is a collection of texts known as agam literature or the agam sutras. Jains trace their history through twentyfour tirthankara and revere rishabhanatha as the first tirthankara in the present timecycle. Jainism also rejected the theory of the vedas and attached no importance to the sacrificial rituals of the brahmans. This point is proved by what is said in the following quotes from oldest hindu holy books that jainism existed before vedas were composed. Jain monks and nuns are now permitted to possess religious books, so the jain scriptures should no longer be in danger. Jainism jainism ritual practices and religious institutions. Translated from the prakrit by hermann jacobi, 1884 from. Instead they have a collection of holy writings and scriptures.
The svetambaras believe that the collection of 32 or 45, the number is disputed agamas holy scriptures are the first and foremost of all holy texts. The primary reason for the rise of these religions was the religious unrest at that time in the country. Religion and culture of the jains by jyoti prasad jain 1983, bharatiya jnanpith will provide an orderly and. Mahaviras disciples compiled his words into texts or sutras, and memorised them to pass on to future generations. Ultimate goal of life is eternal release from karma.
Jaina tradition teaches that a succession of 24 tirthankaras saints originated the religion. Most books available on hinduism in bookshops in the west today are written by non. My brothers and sisters of america, there is not the least shadow of hope that india can ever be christianised. Among angagams, purvas were the oldest sacred texts. Most of them are very scholarly and recount the doctrines in a clinical manner, sometimes without any insight. There are six highly recommended books that together form an excellent literary introduction to jainism and the jain way of thinking. According to him all creatures, animals, plants, stones, rocks etc. Drawing on field research in northern gujarat and on the study of both ancient sanskrit and prakrit and m. Following the murders of several gurus by muslims, the sikhs accepted military violence in selfdefense as a spiritual path. The agam sutras show great reverence for all forms of life and strict codes of vegetarianism, asceticism, nonviolence, and opposition to war. It is a city so holy that not even priests can sleep there. While these two divisions of jainism are in broad agreement about the main teachings and practices of the. The reason is very simple, this book consists of a biography of lord mahavira in detail, and the lives of the other prophets tirthankaras. The texts containing the teachings of mahavira are called the agamas, and are the canonical literature the scriptures of.
After two hundred years of vain efforts and of spending millions of dollars with the prestige of the conqueror and backed by british bayonets, christianity is not supported by the converts themselves. We have certain scriptures which are considered as very sacred. Professor nalini balbir explores this question and outlines the jain scriptures and their languages. The institute of jainology has begun publishing a learn jainism series to support the material on the learn jainism website. I pay homage to the arihants ones who have conquered their inner enemiesi pay homage to the siddhas liberated onesi pay homage to those acharyas who head the orderi pay homage to those upadhyays who teach the messagei pay homage to all sadhus monksseekersthese five acts of homage can wash away all sinof all that is auspiciousthis is the foremost. So he could be called a reformer of the jain religion or rejunevator of the faith which was already and had a long tradition. Jainism began in the 6th century as a reformation movement within hinduism. Jains are very caring over the environment, they wear masks over their faces to prevent inhaling of any small insects and they carry large brushes so they can brush the floor in front of them to prevent stepping on any plants or insects. Hindus are in a similar position, even though they have the vedas, which can be considered the ultimate source of teaching.
History of jainism is the history of a religion founded in ancient india. The jain path of purification was, in addition to the previous work, one of the very first books of its kind to be authored by a jain for the education of those unfamiliar with the jain worldview and way of life. Shvetambara monks are allowed to retain a few possessions such as a robe, an alms bowl, a whisk broom, and a mukhavastrika a piece of cloth held over the mouth to protect against the ingestion of small insects, which are presented by a senior monk at the time of initiation. Jainism for young persons 1985 e 24 kapashi, vinod jain samaj europe publications in search of the ultimate 1984 e 56 kapashi, vinod j. The split did not incur doctrinal or moral differences but only. All the substances change or modify their forms continuously. Religious texts are texts related to a religious tradition. The religion states that the tirthankara taught in a divine preaching hall called samavasarana, which were heard by the gods, the ascetics and laypersons. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers. Find here a list of selected books on the various aspects of jainism, jain history, jaina philosophy, practices, values and beliefs, thirthankaras, life and teachings of mahavira and jaina tradition.
Believing that a life of selfdenial was the way to achieve enlightenment, mahavira wandered naked and mute through india for 12 years, enduring hardship and abuse. The jinas are considered more respectable than the gods. It prescribes a path of noninjury ahimsa towards all living beings. The texts containing the teachings of mahavira are called the agamas, and are the canonical literature the scriptures of svetambara jainism.
Many of these scholars are in fact hostile to the very subject. History, society, philosophy and practice agustin paniker on. List of books and articles about jainism online research. Find here a list of selected books on the various aspects of jainism, jain history, jaina philosophy, practices, values and beliefs, thirthankaras, life and teachings of. What is the source of authority in the jain religion. Unlike most common monotheistic religions, jainism does not have one holy book that characterizes their faith. It is perhaps the most comprehensive and concise book of its kind, and few books on jainism are as.
However, the subject matter of the purvas has been referenced by other jain scriptures and literature. It is perhaps the most comprehensive and concise book of its kind, and few books on jainism are as appropriate for academic instruction as jainis. Practitioners believe nonviolence and selfcontrol are the means to liberation. Religion and culture of the jains by jyoti prasad jain 1983, bharatiya jnanpith will provide an orderly and clear. The major confucian books, which include the sayings of confucius and.
Even religious scriptures were considered possessions and therefore. In india, they share this feature with the buddhists. In the sixth century bc, india witnessed the rise of two new religions jainism and buddhism. The most momentous event, which occurred about 80 a. While these two divisions of jainism are in broad agreement about the main teachings and practices of. I pay homage to the arihants ones who have conquered their inner enemiesi pay homage to the siddhas liberated onesi pay homage to those acharyas who head the orderi pay homage to those upadhyays who teach the messagei pay homage to all sadhus monksseekersthese five acts of homage can wash away all sinof all that is auspiciousthis. It is believed that both realities are eternal and that human beings can, and do, engage in both, which affects not only this life, but the next one as well. Jainism is a religion and philosophy native to india founded in about the 6th century bc by the sage mahavira. History and contemporary information provide evidence of competition and quarrels between the sects over the management of individual sites. The books are for children between the ages of around five to eleven. Since gautama buddha, founder of buddhism, belonged to the same region of magadha as mahavira the 24th tirthankar of jainism, and because both were contemporaries, it was assumed erroneously that jainism was contemporary of buddhism or was an off. Download books, sacred, spiritual texts and pdf ebooks. A glance at its contents will reveal the fact that glasenapp has covered almost all the salient features of jainism.
Among these dharma traditions is jainism or jaina dharma, which has. The word jain is taken from the word jina, which means getting victory over thy self and the peripheral world. Jainism religion bhagwan mahavir jain symbol belief. Bc as protests against the overdeveloped ritualism of hinduism, particularly its sacrificial cults, and the authority of the veda.
Hence, the jain religion does not have one sacred book like the bible or koran, but it. Also the religious books and scriptures were considered possessions and attachments for. The word canon for the jain holy writings is increasingly felt to be inadequate, for it implies an unchanging body of texts sanctioned by a central authority. The relative authority of religious texts develops over time and is derived from the ratification. The tenets of jainism and facts about mahavira are important for ias exam as it makes significant part of indian ancient history and indian culture.
Jainisms core belief is ahimsa, or noninjury to all living things. Jainism vardhamana mahavira ancient indian history notes for upsc vardhana mahavira was the 24th tirthankara a great teacher and is said to have propounded jainism. Jainism, ajivika, and buddhism arose in the 6th cent. Worshipers look at its thousands of statues through mirrors in order no to insult the gods and goddesses with a direct gaze. Rather, there are many religious texts the most wellknown of which are the agams that include transcriptions of the oral history provided to us by tirthankars and jain teachers, as well as scholarly commentary on the interpretation of the religion. Jains see these texts, which are the transcriptions of lord mahavirs sermons, as sacred documents. Jainism believes that universe and all its substances or entities are eternal. Jainism has historical roots in hinduism, but there are many differences between the two indian religions today. This page is best viewed in an uptodate web browser with style sheets css enabled. Believing that a life of selfdenial was the way to achieve enlightenment, mahavira wandered naked and mute through india for 12 years, enduring hardship and. Central to jian belief is the material and the spiritual realm. Aug 29, 2008 what is kalpa sutra and why do jains read it.
While the majority of pilgrimage places in india are sacred to the followers of hinduism, there are numerous holy sites of other religions such as jainism, buddhism and islam. Mar 17, 2015 jainism has historical roots in hinduism, but there are many differences between the two indian religions today. In fact, the householders are supposed to evolve to the monkhood in the later stages of life as was the case with the hinduism in the vedic era. All sects agree that teaching was first transmitted orally, however, the two main sects of jainism, svetambara and digambara disagree on which scriptures are authoritative, or most important. Collectively these texts are called jain canonical or agam literature. Jainworld is a nonprofit taxexempt membership and donationsupported organization dedicated to jain tradition of wisdom, compassion, equality, brotherhood, universal wellbeing and spirituality. Lord mahavir, popularly regarded as the founder of jainism, was the last of the tirthankars who flourished from 599 to 527 b. Jainism differs from many religions in that there is no one scripture or holy book that is central to our faith. This oldest wisdom of mankind is being made available in all the languages for the benefit of humanity with movements like mission 24l. Antiquity of jainism professor mahavir saran jain lord mahavira is not the founder of jainism.
Universe runs own its own accord by its own cosmic laws. These texts are the holy scriptures of the jain religion. Unlike monotheistic traditions, the jains do not have a unique holy book that characterises their faith. It is based on the teachings of its founder, mahavira.
The present book is one of the best and stimulating books ever written by scholars on jainism. Jainism dont have any specific holy book like the bhagavad geeta,the quran or the bible. Some artifacts found in the indus valley civilization have been suggested as a link to ancient jain culture, but this is highly speculative and a subjective interpretation. Some artifacts found in the indus valley civilization have been suggested as a link to ancient jain culture, but this is highly.
The jain dharma existed even before the emergence of the. Sanskrit verse from shivpuran lord rishabhdev jineshwar first tirthankar the omniscient and the all pervasive incarnated himself on the magnificent kailas ashtapad mountain. The holy teachers are called the jina, and they are the epitome of teaching for all jains, especially the jina mahavira. These are said to be based on the discourse of the tirthankara, delivered in a samavasarana divine.
The following list of books incorporates a number of salient points of view, and they would be especially good for those not raised as jains. Introduction to jainism, theory of karma, the six dravyas and more. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get. A living tradition t he founding of the mira and ajay shingal center for dharma studies in 2015 has established a permanent home at the gtu for the academic study of several major religious traditions that originated in ancient india.
They differ from literary texts by being a compilation or discussion of beliefs, mythologies, ritual practices, commandments or laws, ethical conduct, spiritual aspirations, and for creating or fostering a religious community. The jain literature which was complied by ganadharas and srutkevlis is known as agam literature. Jaina canon, the sacred texts of jainism, a religion of india, whose authenticity is disputed between sects. Jainism ritual practices and religious institutions. Jainism s core belief is ahimsa, or noninjury to all living things. In principle jain holy places are sacred for all the jains.
Jainism is one of the most ancient religions that originated in eastern india and it was founded around the 6th century. Instead they have a body of holy writings or scriptures. Download the bible, the holy quran, the mahabharata and thousands of free pdf ebooks on buddhism, meditation etc. Agams are the jain texts which are based on the discourse. It was founded as a reaction against the vedic religion, which required animal sacrifices. Our intention behind our actions of body, mind, and speech bind us with karma. In practice, some places are definitely of more importance to svetambaras than to digambaras and vice versa, and these are managed by institutions affiliated to one sect or the other. All jain sects believe that knowledge of the purvas drastivad were gradually lost starting two hundred years after lord mahavirs nirvan death.