The Pre-Buddhist Context

1
Jainism
Jain temple in Ranakpur
Indias oldest religion? Jains are a small but
influential religious minority with at least 4.2
million followers in modern India,1 and
successful growing immigrant communities in the
United States, Western Europe, the Far East,
Australia and elsewhere.2 Though the Jains form
only 0.42 of the population of India, their
contribution to the exchequer by way of income
tax is astounding 24 to the total tax collected.
3Jains sustain the ancient Shraman (?????) or
ascetic religion and have significantly
influenced other religious, ethical, political
and economic spheres in India. Jains have an
ancient tradition of scholarship and have the
highest degree of literacy in India.4 Jain
libraries are India's oldest.5
2
What is Jainism to the Jains?

• See them present themselves at
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vN9NcGAE4WOU

3
Aryans from Aryaland (Ireland) to Iran
(Aryan)Cognate languages Sanskrit, Persian,
Greek and Latin are only part of the proof.
http//www.thedyinggod.com/images/aryan_migrations
.jpg
http//www.mysteriousworld.com/Content/Images/Jour
nal/2003/Summer/Giants/AryanInvasionMap.gif
4
www.4dham.com/go2/Jainism.html
The original religion of India.

• However, archaeological evidence from the Indus
  Valley Civilization (c. 3000- 1500 BC) has been
  cited as attesting to the faith's early existence
  as shown through seals and other artifacts
  unearthed since the civilization's discovery in
  1921.

5
Three Orientations for Indian Traditions

• Jainism/Shaivism Yoga and ascetic srama?a or
  individual striver traditions plus Yoga
• Aryan philosophy pointing to the light worship
  of the Aryans, evinced by the Vedas plus Yoga
• Himalayan Emptiness, the third ingredient
  important to Buddhism the uniqueness of the no
  self stance, plus Yoga

6
Nastika TraditionsNumerous anti-Brahmin,
anti-Vedic heretical sects emerged to challenge
the priestly caste Brahmin domination of the
religious world.

• Striver or Sramana sects
• Jainism
• Buddhism
• Ajivikas - believed that transmigration of the
  human soul was determined by a precise and
  non-personal cosmic principle called Niyati
  (destiny or fate) and was completely independent
  of the person's actions. strict regimen of
  asceticism
• most of the Ajivikas were atheistic
• Materialist skeptics
• Carvaka or Lokayata is a system of Indian
  philosophy that assumed various forms of
  philosophical skepticism and religious
• indifference.

7
Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism What is shared?

1. 1.) All three perspectives accept the doctrine of
   non-harming or "ahimsa" as their basis for
   ethics. 2. All three accept karma theory. 3. All
   three perspectives admit of rebirth (also known
   as reincarnation) and seek escape from this. 4.
   All of them assert the universe began far longer
   ago (infinitely past in fact) than science has
   proven true.

8
Rebellion of the Warriors!

• Mahavira and Buddha Siddhartha Gautama were said
  to be members of the warrior Ksatriya caste
• Along with other strivers or srama?a movements,
  the priestly castes (Brahmin) authority was
  opposed in favor of an individual pursuit of
  truth.

9
Jainism
Half/ half
x
x
x
the asceticism the Buddha rejected, the
individual striving outside Vedic scriptural
authority was a point of agreement.
Half/ half
Shiva Mahavira
Mathuran (Indian) Buddha Bactrian
(Greek) Buddha
http//www.aimwell.org/Gandhara.gif
http//i90.photobucket.com/albums/k241/agochar/Mah
aviraJain.jpg
10
For Jains and Buddhists, materialists were
doomed to rebirth! The dread Lokayata!
Religious practices are but means of livelihood
for those who have no manliness nor sense. In
this school there are four elements, earth,
water, fire and air and from these four elements
alone is intelligence produced the Carvakas
denounced the caste system, calling it
artificial, unreal and hence unacceptable. "What
is this senseless humbug about the castes and the
high and low among them when the organs like the
mouth, etc in the human body are the same?"
11
x
Rise of the Indigenous Peoples! Down with the
Caste System say Mahavira and Buddha, the
materialists and friends

• The ranking or caste system or the the
  var?asrama color code seen as emanating from
  parts of the primordial deity or original cosmic
  man
• Brahmin priests
• Ksatriya warriors
• Vaisya merchants
• Sudra peasants
• Outcastes

http//www.waupun.k12.wi.us/Policy/other/dickhut/r
eligions/Images/CasteBody.jpg
12
Namokar Mantra see and hear it on youtube
http//www.youtube.com/watch?v68ZuPGbZgAo
13
Infinite Time Space for the Jains

• According to Jain beliefs, the universe was never
  created, nor will it ever cease to exist. It is
  eternal but not unchangeable, because it passes
  through an endless series of alternations or
  swings. Each of these upward or downward swings
  is divided into six world ages (yugas). The
  present world age is the fifth age of one of
  these "swings," 

14
It is not a derivative of so-called "Hinduism" -
Sanatanadharma or "The Eternal Reality" tradition
X X
Not part of Shiva or Krishna tradition http//i195
.photobucket.com/albums/z172/mulmulmul/Final20Fan
tasy20Blog/shiva_hindhu_mythology.jpg http//www.
iskcon.net/peru/Radha_y_Krishna_1.jpg
Mahavira ca. 1200 CE http//www.historyforkids.or
g/learn/india/religion/pictures/mahavira.jpg
15
The striver (srama?a) movement included the
K?atriya ford-makers (no, not UAW!)
(tirtha?kara) of Jainism
'Tirthankara' is a shelter from the ocean of
rebirths, sangsara or the convolution of
Existence. Not a saviour, but like Buddha a
guide.
16
Nothing to Hide! A Digambara or
Environment-clad Jain

• Jains believe that every soul is divine and has
  the potential to achieve God-consciousness. Any
  soul which has conquered its own inner enemies
  and achieved the state of supreme being is
  called jina (Conqueror or Victor).

17
Jainism and Buddhism Common Features

1. Both Jain tradition and Buddhist reject the caste
   system. 
2. Both Jainism and Buddhism were founded by members
   of the Warrior caste, part of a social upheaval
   with opposition to Aryan hegemony and Brahmin
   priestly dominance.
3. Both Jainism and Buddhism reject the authority of
   the Hindu Vedas or Ancient hymns in the pre-axial
   age literatures  
4. Both Jainism and Buddhism seek an individual
   rather than mass social approach to the Ultimate
   Truth. Both Jainism  and Buddhism (Middle Way)
   perspective traditions reject Krishnas advice to
   Arjuna
5. Both Jainism and Buddhism far more strongly
   stress non-harming as a social ethic far more
   strongly than the Hindu Sanatana Dharma Eternal
   Reality traditions

Copy and paste the following to see Jainism and
Buddhism compared by past student Justin
Blaha http//www.youtube.com/watch?vcASZK6Qgp3g
18
The Ford-makers (no! not the cars!)

• Jainism was revived by a lineage of 24
  enlightened ascetics called tirthankaras culminati
  ng with Parsva (9th century BCE)
  and Mahavira (6th century BCE)
• After achieving enlightenment, a Tirthankar shows
  others the path to enlightenment. The
  Tirthankar's religious teachings form the
  Jain canons. The inner knowledge of all
  Tirthankars is perfect and identical in every
  respect, for the teachings of one Tirthankar do
  not contradict those of another. 

19
Tirthankara The Ford-maker

• The ford-maker serves as a guide to traverse the
  raging river that separates samsara - the cyclic
  convoluted river of life - to kevalajnana or the
  jiva - life essence - purified of karmic stains
  and ignorance.
• The most noted figure associated with Jain
  tradition - Mahavira or the "Great Hero" - was
  the 24th such line of ford-makers.

http//www.askasia.org/images/teachers/display/446
.jpg
20
Rishabh Dev (??????) Sanskrit ??abha meaning
"best, most excellent") was the first of the
24 Tirthankara

• In Jainism, . He belonged to the House of
  Ikshwaku, which was also known as the "House of
  the Sun".
• Rishabha was born to the Ikshvaku clan. According
  to Jain beliefs, Rishabh existed
  before civilization developed. He taught
  people agriculture, tending of animals, cooking,
  and more. He had one hundred and one sons.

21
Legend of Bahubali
Bahubali's elder brother, Bharat, was envious of
his wealth, grandeur, strength and success. They
fought, and as Bahubali raised his arm to land a
blow, he thought for a minute and realized that
this fighting with elder brother for land,
wealth, and power was totally insane and was not
righteous or moral for a son of Lord Rishabdev
who was Tirthankara, a highly spiritual person.
22
Bahu-bali Hero of the Jains
His eldest son - Bharat - was a chakravarti king
- the conqueror of the known world. In the later
part of his life he retired to become a monk and
attained moksha. Since he became a siddha, he is
occasionally worshipped. According to the Jain
beliefs, India was named Bharata-varsha
or Bharata after him. Bharatavarsha refers to
the total Earth. Emperor Bharata was the first
and the only emperor to rule all
India. The Vishnu Puranam accounts the extent of
Bharatavarsham,
23
Parshvanath or Parshvanatha (parsvá-natha)

• was the twenty-third Tirthankara (fordmaker)
  in Jainism. fl. ca. in the 9th Century BCE,
  traditionally (877  777 BCE)
• "Parshvanath was walking one day when he saw an
  old man next to a fire. He quickly warned the man
  that he was burning snakes in the log and pulled
  out the right log and put it out, then gently
  split it, revealing two badly burned snakes. He
  recited the Navkar Mantra, a prayer, for them
  before they died. The two nagas reincarnated to
  become the two Yakshas

24
It is one of the oldest perspectives in the
world. Jains follow the teachings of the 24
tirthankaras or "Ford-makers".   The term "Jaina"
means "following a 'Conqueror' or 'Victor'".
One day, a god, named Sangama, transformed as a
ferocious snake, came to frighten him. But,
compassionate Mahavira took in into his hands to
protect it from others and let go. His face did
not reveal even a sign of fear.
Lord Mahavira on Lion Throne
http//www.exoticindiaart.com/article/mahavira/
25
Birth of the Great Hero, Mahavira
VardhamanaLast of the Tirthankaras

• Mother conceived him after miraculous
  dream-visions
• The Storm God Indra took the child to bathe him
  on Mt. Meru
• At the age of thirty Mahavira renounced his
  kingdom and family, gave up his worldly
  possessions, and spent twelve years as
  an ascetic.

Detail of a leaf with, 'The Birth of Mahavira',
from the Kalpa Sutra, c.1375-1400.
26
Sayings of Mahavira

• The unenlightened takes millions of lives to
  extirpate the effects of karma whereas a man
  possessing spiritual knowledge and discipline
  obliterates them in a single moment.
• All unenlightened persons produce sufferings.
  Having become deluded, they produce and reproduce
  sufferings, in this endless world.
• My soul characterized by knowledge and faith is
  alone eternal. All other phases of my existence
  to which I am attached are external occurrences
  that are transitory.
• Just as you do not like misery, in the same way
  others also do not like it. Knowing this, you
  should do unto them what you want them to do unto
  you.
• To kill any living being amounts to killing one
  self.compassion to others is compassion to one's
  own self.Therefore one should avoid violence
  like poison and thorn (that cause pain).
• One may have a tuft (Vaishnava) or matted hair
  (Shaiva) on the head or a shaven head (Buddhism),
  remain naked (Jainism) or wear a rag. But if he
  tells a lie, all this is futile or fruitless.

27
Yaksha!

• In Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist mythology,
  the yak?a has a dual personality. On the one
  hand, a yak?a may be an inoffensive nature-fairy,
  associated with woods and mountains but there is
  a much darker version of the yak?a, which is a
  kind of cannibalistic ogre, ghost or demon that
  haunts the wilderness and waylays and devours
  travelers, similar to the rak?asas.

28
Jiva the life essence, behind matter

• Jiva (soul) All living beings are called Jivas.
  Jivas have consciousness known as the soul.  The
  soul and body are two different entities. The
  soul can not be reproduced.  It is described as a
  sort of energy which is indestructible,
  invisible, and shapeless. Jainism divides jivas
  into five categories ranging from one-sensed
  beings to five-sensed beings. The body is merely
  a home for the soul.  At the time of death, the
  soul leaves the body to occupy a new one. 
  Tirthankaras have said that the soul has an
  infinite capacity to know and perceive. This
  capacity of the soul is not experienced in its
  present state, because of accumulated karmas.

29
The diversity of the Jivas

• The jiva which grows, decays, fluctuates, varies,
  eats, sleeps, awakes, acts, fears, rests, has
  knowledge and perception, attempts to self
  defend, and reproduces. These and many more
  qualities of the jiva are obvious through a
  physical body when the soul is present in it but
  when the soul leaves these qualities cease. These
  qualities are external features and consciousness
  (chetan) is the basic inner feature of the soul.
  This also makes it clear for us that the body and
  the soul are separate entities.

30
Jivas come in all sizes.

• Since the soul is flexible, it pervades the
  entire body it occupies. For example, the same
  soul can occupy the body of an ant or an
  elephant. Such bodies stay alive as long as there
  is a soul. A live body, or rather, a body with a
  soul is described here as a Jiva.

31
So many Jivas! We dont know what to do!

• Jivas are found on earth, as well as in water,
  air, and sky, and are scattered all over the
  universe. Human beings, celestial beings,
  infernal beings, animals, fish, birds, bugs,
  insects, plants, etc. are the most common forms
  of Jiva with which we can easily relate. However,
  Jain scriptures state that there are 8.4 million
  species of Jiva in all. They are known by the
  senses they possess. There are five senses in
  all, namely touch, taste, smell, sight, and
  hearing. Different types of Jivas possess one or
  more of these senses

32

• The House analogy for human liberation
• 1) Jivas life force - are represented by the
  people.

33

• 2) Ajiva - the non-living is represented by
  the house.

34

• 3) Punya holiness - is represented by worldly
  enjoyment resulting from the nice cool breeze.

35

• 4) Pap is represented by worldly discomfort
  resulting from the sand storm, which brought dust
  into the house.

36

• 5) Asrava is represented by the influx of dust
  through the doors and windows of the house which
  is similar to the influx of karma particles to
  the soul
• 6 ) Bandh is represented by the accumulation of
  dust in the house, which is similar to bondage of
  karma particles to the soul.

37

• 7) Samvar is represented by the closing of the
  doors and windows to stop the dust from  coming
  into the house, which is similar to the stoppage
  of influx of karman particles to the soul.

38

• 8) Nirjara is represented by the cleaning up of
  accumulated dust from the house, which is similar
  to shedding off accumulated karmic particles from
  the soul.

39

• 9) Moksha the unknotting or release is
  represented by the clean house, which is similar
  to the shedding of all karmic particles from the
  soul. 

40
1. Liberated or Siddha Jiva 2. Non-liberated
Sansari Jiva.

• Liberated souls have no karmas and therefore,
  they are no longer in the cycle of births and
  deaths. They do not live among us, but reside at
  the uppermost part of this universe called
  Siddhashila. They are formless and shapeless,
  have perfect knowledge and perception, and have
  infinite vigor and bliss. All Siddhas are equal,
  and there is no difference in their status.

Just kidding! Dr. Phil is not liberated!
41
Ajiva What is Non-living?

•   Anything that is not a soul is called ajiva.
  Ajiva does not have consciousness. Jainism
  divides ajiva in five broad categories
  dharmastikay (medium of motion), adharmastikay
  (medium of  rest), akashastikay (space),
  pudgalastikay (matter), and kala (time).
• Jainism views fruits and nuts - non-rooted plants
  - as "non-conscious" and hence, disagree with
  Buddhists about this issue.
• The Jain view towards all jivas or living things
  - things with a consciousness - is that of total
  "non-harming" (ahimsa).

42
Non-liberated jiva

• On the other side, non-liberated (worldly) jivas
  have karmas, and are continually going through
  the cycle of birth and death. They experience
  happiness and pain and have passions, which in
  turn cause the soul to wander more. Except for
  the jiva of Arihants, non-liberated jivas have
  limited knowledge and perception.

43
A Jain Prayer

• O my Lord, Make myself such that I may always
  have love for all living beings, pleasure in the
  company of the virtuous, sympathy for the
  afflicted and tolerance for those perversely
  inclined.

44
Types of Harming

•  Violence (Hinsa) is of four types -
•   1.Intentional Violence- i.e. Violence committed
  intentionally and knowingly for meat eating, to
  perform violent yajnas in the name of religion,
  or hunting of animals for procuring their
  skin/bones and dead bodies for display.
• 2. Vocational or Occupational Violence- i.e. Army
  or Police Violence committed to keep law and
  order in the country and defense of the nation,
  Violence committed in agriculture, trade and
  industry etc.
• 3. Accidental Violence- i.e. Violence committed
  in digging, pounding, cooking and such other
  activities essential to daily living.
• 4. Protective Violence- i.e. Violence caused in
  the safety of personal or others life, property
  and religion etc. from a beast or brute.

45
Truth in JainismAnekantavada Truth is not
found in a view

1. Truth is found not in any single view.  Ultimate
   truth is not, in fact, a view at all.
2. Truth is found through individual discovery and
   self-restraint.
3. Truth is found in a totally  "non-harming" -
   ahimsa - ethical life.  One should not even kill
   a potato.
4. The jiva or "life essence" abides equally in all
   living things.  It must be cleansed of
   obscurations of ignorance to be liberated from
   the cycle of rebirth - Sansara.

46
A person seeking profit sees everything in terms
of gains and losses and insecure person sees
threats everywhere and person devoted to God sees
everything as Gods blessed creation.
A popular Jain story involving five blind man and
elephant. A king once brought five blind men into
his courtyard where he had fastened a large
elephant and asked them to tell him what it was.
Each man touched the elephant, and on the basis
of their perspective, told the king that he knew
this thing to be. 
47
A Middle Way between Hindu permanence and
Buddhist impermanence
Recognizing the incredibly rich and complex
nature of reality, Jains developed the concept of
notion of the "Many-sidedness" (anekant) of
existence in opposition to their opponents
claims that Brahman alone, because it is
permanent and unchanging, is ultimately and
absolutely real or that, as the Buddhist claimed,
nothing is permanent, and the changing process
are the only reality. This concept of the
many-sidedness of existence enabled Jain thinkers
to affirm both permanence and change. What things
are in the substance are in themselves, as
substance, is permanent. But the forms or modes
of these substances are continuously changing.
48
Jain sangha divided into two major sects,
Digambar and Svetambar, about 200 years after
Mahavira's nirvana
49
Jain Community or Sangha
the Jain religious order (Sangh) grew more and
more complex. There were schisms on minor points,
although they did not affect Mahavira's original
doctrines. Later generations saw the introduction
of rituals and complexities that some criticize
as placing Mahavira and other Tirthankars on the
throne similar to those of Hindu deities.
50
Sects of Jainism Svetambara
The Svetambara or Whte-clad and the Digambara
Direction-clad sky-clad Environment-clad. The
White clad and sky-clad disagree principally
on whether or not a woman may attain release of
the jiva or life-essence in one lifetime.
http//www.vam.ac.uk/images/image/34044-small.jpg
51
Digambara Environment Clad
Senior Digambar monks wear no clothes, following
the practice of Lord Mahavira. They do not
consider themselves to be nude -- they are
wearing the environment. This practice represents
a refusal to give in to the body's demands for
comfort and private property
http//www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/jainism/im
ages/digambara_monk2.jpg
52
Jain Sects Commonalities
Both Jain sects agree that self-restraint leads
to a purification of the jiva or life-essence
and that austerities or denial of the body, are a
principal means to eradicate desire. Both Jain
sects agree with the Buddhists that the caste
system and the ancient Vedic sacred texts are
false.
http//www.himalayanacademy.com/resources/books/hb
h/images/06_SYM_Jain.jpg
53
Svastika -Signifies peace and well-being
The fylfot (swastika) is among the holiest of
Jain symbols. Worshippers use rice grains to
create a fylfot around the temple altar.
54
Ahimsa Non-harmingThe ethical system

• Ahimsa (Non-violence)
• Satya (truth)
• Achaurya or Asteya (non-stealing)
• Brahmacharya (Celibacy)
• Aparigraha (Non-attachment to temporal
  possessions)

55
Why didnt Jainism and Hinduism travel to China?

1. Jainism is so strict with austerities that the
   monks - forbidden for example, to wear shoes -
   could not traverse the mountains and deserts to
   get to China.
2. Hinduism (Sanatanadharma) is so culture-bound and
   tied in with the caste system and dietary
   restrictions it did not spread to China.
3. Jainism sees no need to "spread" unlike
   Buddhism.  Jains are content to remain the elite
   of the spiritual world - in their eyes - and
   allow Buddhism to propagate among the masses of
   ignorant people.
4. Daoism and Buddhism share much in common with
   each other, especially a peculiar orientation to
   the lone life in nature and the individual quest
   for ultimate truth.
5. The Chinese dislike the karma doctrine of
   Hinduism and it's doctrines about rebirth (or
   reincarnation).

56
Next stop Buddhism. It too will claim to be
the Middle Way, this time, Between Hindu love of
family and enjoyment of life and Jain asceticism
Mahavira Buddha