JAINISM
Vardhaman,who later came to be known as Mahavira(great hero or jina,which means conqueror),was the last and 24th Tirthankara.He is generally accepted to be the founder of Jainisim.His philosophy may have become popular as a reaction to the moral bankruptcy that existed through Hindu and Brahmanism.
In Jain philosophy ,realty is divided into two substances: 1.Animate substances(Jivas and souls). 2.Inanimate substances(Ajivas and non-souls). It is dualistic ,but also recognises that the essential character of the substances is permanence,and the changes which we see are the accidental characterstics.Soul is both changing as well as permanent,with its permanent unchanging essential characterstic as conciousness and accidental changing qualities as pain and pleasure.This view rejects the permanence of Bharaman as well as pure change of Buddhism.God as a judge,creator or sustainer is rejected and the law of karma is fully autonomous and impersonal in its operation.The law of karma says that all phenomena are the result of some causes that happend in the past.This law can be roughly defined as the law of casulty.Whatever a person goes through his life is due to his actions in the past lives and he will reap the fruits of his actions in the next life depending on his actions in his life.But Jainism,s rejection of God does not entail the rejection of the prayers.Jains do pray to the Tirthankaras in order to receive guidence and inspiration ,and not for mercy forgiveness or confession of guilt ,as in the case of many theistic religions.
The five cardinal principles of Jainism are:-
- 1.Ahimsa(Non-violence)
- 2.Satya(speaking the truth)
- 3.Asteya(no stealing)
- 4.Aparigraha(no property)
- 5.Brahmacharya(continence)
Only the last principle was added by Mahavira,the other being the teachings of his predecessors. The five principles when observed by a monk strictly are called Mahavarats ,and when observed by a lay follower in a less rigorous manner are called Anuvarats. The three gems of Jainisms are called Ratnatraya:- 1.Right Action 2.Right Liberation
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