Sat Mar 23, 2024 11:33 pm by globalturbo
Ancient Indian Religions: Origins and Rise of Jainism
Posted on July 3, 2023
Mahavira (600-500 BC) is the founder of Jainism. Born into a Kshatriya family, he declined to follow his family’s Khatriya dharma, opting for austerity instead. He only ate a small amount of food without jiva (unsprouted grain). In addition, he strained all his drinking water and kept his mouth and nose covered to avoid inhaling small insects. Traditionally Jainist monks sweep the ground in front of them to avoid stepping on any insects. Jainists also forbid slaughtering livestock, fishing and animal sacrifice.
The five Jainist vows include
Mahavira lived 40 years as an ascetic and achieved nirvana by fasting and sitting motionless until his jiva left his physical body.
Both Jainism and Buddhism arose during a period of considerable political and economic growth. Both religions rejected the Veda and reached out to non-Sanskrit speaking people. The Jains fundamentally rejected the present world with its illusions of pleasure, viewing earthy existence as mere transition.
Jainism began in the central Gangetic Plain and migrated to the commercial centers in Rajasthan and Gujarat, where Jain merchants thrived. From there, it extended to south India to incorporate Dravidian speakers. Jain monks in south India remained closer to Mahavira’s original teachings and abandoned all clothing after he died. Southern Jainism doesn’t permit women to become nuns. Northern Jainists permit women to be nuns and wear simple unstitched white robes.
Chandra Gupta, founder of the Mauryan Dynasty (which created the first major Indian empire), converted to Jainism and eventually gave up his empire to starve himself to death.
At present approximately 5 million Indians (0.4% of the population) are Jainists and there are 1-2 million outside of Indian. Occasionally rich Jain merchants renounce their wealth to become ascetics and starve themselves to death.
*See The Vedic Origin of India’s Castes
Film can be viewed free with a library card on Kanopy.
https://www.kanopy.com/en/pukeariki/video/366254/366189
THANKS TO: https://stuartbramhall.wordpress.com/2023/07/03/ancient-indian-religions-origins-and-rise-of-jainism/
Posted on July 3, 2023
Episode 9 Origins and Rise of Jainism
A History of India
Michael Fisher (2016)
Film Review
The Jainist religion, which teaches absolute nonviolence towards all living beings, first arose in India, alongside Buddhism, around 500 BC. As northern Indian cities increased in their size and trade capacity, members of the Vaishya varna (responsible for agriculture, trade and other business pursuits) were using their knowledge of commerce to increase their wealth and power, while paying taxes and protection money to members of the Kshatriya (warrior) varna.* Growing dissatisfaction with their lower station under Hinduism made them especially open to new religions.
Southern India, where members of the top three varnas (Brahmin, Kshatriya and Vaishya) were very sparse; members of the lowest Shudras varna (artisans, laborers and servants); and women and outcasts were all strongly draw to new religions offering them more prestige.
Jainists believe there are are 8.4 million levels of life “monads” characteried by a life force (“jiva”) independent of the physical body. They also believe that 1) bad karma is created by violent thoughts and actions, leading to a lower level of rebirth and 2) austere living can ward off bad karma.Mahavira (600-500 BC) is the founder of Jainism. Born into a Kshatriya family, he declined to follow his family’s Khatriya dharma, opting for austerity instead. He only ate a small amount of food without jiva (unsprouted grain). In addition, he strained all his drinking water and kept his mouth and nose covered to avoid inhaling small insects. Traditionally Jainist monks sweep the ground in front of them to avoid stepping on any insects. Jainists also forbid slaughtering livestock, fishing and animal sacrifice.
The five Jainist vows include
- Live nonviolently.
- Avoid falsehood.
- Avoid theft.
- Avoid ostentatious pride in possession.
- Avoid unchastity
Mahavira lived 40 years as an ascetic and achieved nirvana by fasting and sitting motionless until his jiva left his physical body.
Both Jainism and Buddhism arose during a period of considerable political and economic growth. Both religions rejected the Veda and reached out to non-Sanskrit speaking people. The Jains fundamentally rejected the present world with its illusions of pleasure, viewing earthy existence as mere transition.
Jainism began in the central Gangetic Plain and migrated to the commercial centers in Rajasthan and Gujarat, where Jain merchants thrived. From there, it extended to south India to incorporate Dravidian speakers. Jain monks in south India remained closer to Mahavira’s original teachings and abandoned all clothing after he died. Southern Jainism doesn’t permit women to become nuns. Northern Jainists permit women to be nuns and wear simple unstitched white robes.
Chandra Gupta, founder of the Mauryan Dynasty (which created the first major Indian empire), converted to Jainism and eventually gave up his empire to starve himself to death.
At present approximately 5 million Indians (0.4% of the population) are Jainists and there are 1-2 million outside of Indian. Occasionally rich Jain merchants renounce their wealth to become ascetics and starve themselves to death.
*See The Vedic Origin of India’s Castes
Film can be viewed free with a library card on Kanopy.
https://www.kanopy.com/en/pukeariki/video/366254/366189
THANKS TO: https://stuartbramhall.wordpress.com/2023/07/03/ancient-indian-religions-origins-and-rise-of-jainism/
