Jainism: Religion Facts

Religion Facts

(Not Jane-ism)

-Nontheistic, focused on the human soul

-Founded in 6th century in India

    - Jina Vardhamana Mahavira is the founder

    - Went against teachings of orthodox Brahmanism and the Hindu caste system

- Teaches salvation through successive lives, no harm to living creatures

-Ultimate goal is to liberate the soul

The symbol of Jainism was (wrongfully) taken by the Nazis, and reassigned to represent a genocide. When most of us see this symbol, we think of the mass killings organized by Adolf Hitler, when the "swastika" first stood for the many teachings of Jainism.

               

Jainism observes six concepts of reality:

• Soul
• Space
• Time
• Motion and Rest
• Matter
• Karma

Main Prayer of Jainism

"I bow to the Arahants, the perfect human beings, Godmen.

I bow to the Siddhas, liberated bodiless souls, God.

I bow to the Acharyas, the masters and heads of congregations.

I bow to the Upadhyayas, the spiritual teachers.

I bow to the special practitioners in the universe, Sadhus.

This fivefold obeisance mantra, destroys all sin and obstacles, and of all auspicious repetitions, is the first and foremost."