Jainism

● The term "Jain" is derived from the Sanskrit word "Jina" which means conqueror
or winner. It shows the victory of a person from the cycle of birth and death.
● Jain founders have been called 'Tirthankara' and Jain mahatmas have been called
'Nirgranth'.
● There were a total of 24 Tirthankaras, the last of whom was Vardhamana
Mahavira.
● Tirthankara is a Sanskrit word meaning 'ford maker', i.e., one who is able to cross
the river, beyond the perpetual flow of worldly life.
● Tirthankaras were people who propagated Jainism. He has conquered love and
desire.
● All Tirthankaras were Kshatriyas by birth.

Important Jain Tirthankaras:

Name Birth Place Sacred Symbol

1st Rishabhnath Ayodhya Bull

(Adinath)

2nd Ajitnath Ayodhya Elephant

3rd Sambhavanath Sravasti Horse

4th Abhinandannath Ayodhya Monkey

23rd Parsva Natha Banaras Sesa Naga

24th Mahavira Kundalgram(Bihar) Lion

(Vardhaman)

About Mahavir Jain :-

Actual founder of ● Vardhamana Mahavira (540- 468 BC)

Jainism

Born ● He was born in 540 BC in Kundalgram near Vaishali.

Parents ● His parents were Kshatriyas.

● Father - Siddhartha (head of the Gnanatrik clan);
● Mother – Trishala (sister of Lichchavi chief Chetak).
(Chetak's daughter was married to Haryanka king Bimbisara).

Marriage ● Mahavir Jain was married to Yashoda (daughter of Kundiya

gotra) and had a daughter Anojja or Priyadarshana.

Left home ● At the age of 30, Vardhaman left his home on the orders of his
elder brother Nandivardhan and became an ascetic.

Kaivalya ● After 12 years of penance, he attained the supreme spiritual

knowledge called ‘Kaivalya’ Gyan.
 ● He attained enlightenment at the age of 42 under a Sal tree on
the banks of river Rijupalika in village Zrimbhink. This is
called 'Kaivalya'.

Other Name ● Mahavira, Jina, Jitendriya (one who has conquered his senses),
Nirgrantha (free from all bondage) and Kevalin.

Teachings ● He adopted the Prakrit language to spread his teachings and He

Language preached his teachings for 30 years.

Death ● Died at the age of 72 in Pava (near Rajagriha) in 468 BCE.

Relationship between Mahavir Jain and Jamali

● Jamali was the first disciple of Mahavir Swami.
● Later Jamali had differences with Mahavir Jain.
● The main reason for the difference of opinion was the 'actualized principle', which
meant that the work would be completed as soon as it was done.
● Due to this difference of opinion, Jamali left the Jain Sangh and propounded a new
theory 'Bahuratvad'.
● 'Pluralism' means - the work will be considered complete only when it is
completed.

Jainism Education
● Mahavira rejected the Vedic principles.
● They did not believe in the existence of God.
● According to him, the universe is a product of the natural phenomenon of cause
and effect.
● He left the isolated views of the animists and atheists and adopted a middle path,
which is called 'Anekantvad' or 'Syadvad'.
● He believed in karma and transmigration of the soul.
● According to them, the body dies but not the soul.
● Starvation, nudity, and self-mortification were explained.
Two elements of the world:
1. Conscious
2. Spirit (unconscious)
● According to Jain philosophy, the universe was created and nurtured by 'universal
law'.
● The entire universe is made up of two eternal and independent elements called
Jiva and Ajiva.
● Jiva is an animate element whereas non-living element is an unconscious element.
● Here jiva means individual soul.
● According to Jainism, there are many souls and living beings residing in every
particle of the universe.
Triratna of Jainism
● Right Darshan - Real Knowledge
● Right Knowledge - belief in truth
● Right Conduct - (observance of five vows)

Panch Mahavrat of Jainism: -

 ● Nonviolence
● Truth
● Asteya (not stealing)
● Aparigraha (not acquiring any property)
● Brahmacharya (abstinence)
● Four of these Mahavratas Ahimsa, Truth, Asteya and Aparigraha were told by
Parshvanatha while the fifth Mahavrata 'Brahmacharya' was added by Mahavira.

Anant Chatushtaya
● According to Jainism, when the remnant of Karma is eliminated from the soul,
then it attains Salvation.
● After this the person gets freedom from the cycle of life and he attains Infinite
knowledge, Infinite philosophy, Infinite power and Infinite happiness.
● In Jain texts, they have been called 'Anant Chatushtaya'.

Concept of Syadvad
● It is also known as ‘Saptabhangiya’. This is the principle of ‘relativity of
knowledge’.
● According to this, due to the difference in thought stream, each knowledge can be
expressed in different forms.

Sallekhana
● The word Sallekhna is made up of the words 'sat' and 'lekhna', which means
account of goodness.
● Sallekhana is a method of sacrificing life by fasting in Jainism.
● In Sallekhana philosophy, a lot of emphasis is given on non-violence and physical
conflict.
● 18 sins have been conceived in Jainism.

Major Jain Literature

● Jain literature is called 'Agam'.
● The Agama texts were composed after the death of Mahavir Swami by the
Acharyas of the Svetambara community.
● Jain literature is found in Prakrit and Sanskrit languages, although later some Jains
wrote Jain literature in Kannada language as well.
● 'Acharanga Sutra' is a major Jain text in which information about the rules of
conduct of Jain monks is found.
● In 'Bhagwati Sutra', information about the life of Mahavira and 16 Mahajanapadas
is found.
● Bhadrabahu composed 'Kalpasutra' in Sanskrit, in which the life characters of Jain
Tirthankaras (autobiographies of Parshvanatha and Mahavira) have been mainly
described.
● Rashtrakuta ruler Amoghavarsha was a follower of Jainism, he composed a book
named 'Ratnamalika'.
Division in Jainism
● During the Magadha famine during the reign of Chandragupta Maurya, some Jain
monks under Bhadrabahu migrated to Karnataka.
● When Bhadrabahu left for South India, Sthulbahu remained in the north with his
followers.
 ● Sthulbahu changed the code of conduct and said that white clothes can be worn.
Thus, divide Jainism into two sects:
Svetambara: One who wears white clothes; North India
Digambara: Those who live naked; South India
● According to Svetambara the basic doctrine taught by Mahavira was contained in
14 ancient texts, called 'Purvas', which were compiled orally over 200 years.
Difference between Shvetambara and Digambara sects
Shvetambara Digambar

Shvetambara people used to wear white The people of this sect lived naked.
clothes.

According to them Mahavir Swami According to them, Mahavir Swami was

was married. unmarried.

Salvation is possible for a woman. It is impossible for a woman to attain salvation.

Food is needed to attain Kaivalya. Food is not required for the realization of Capli.

Jain Council

Council Place/year chairmanship Result

First Jain Pataliputra, 322 Sthulbhadra 12 angas (teachings of Mahavira)

Council BC were compiled

Second Jain Vallabhi, 512 Devarshi Kshama Final compilation of 12 limbs and
Council CE Shravan 12 appendages.

Major temples and festivals related to Jainism

● Dilwara is a major Jain temple located in Mount Abu, Rajasthan. It was built by Vimal
Shah, a feudatory of the Chalukya ruler Bhimdev I of Gujarat.
● The Sammed peak of the Parasnath hill located in Jharkhand is a major pilgrimage site
for the followers of Jainism.
 ● Shravanabelagola is a major Jain site, located in the state of Karnataka.
Chamundaraya of South India got the huge Jain idol of Gomateshwara constructed at
Shravanabelagola.
● Gomateshwara is also known as Bahubali, who is believed to be the son of
Rishabhdev, the first Jain Tirthankara.
● Maha Mastakabhisheka is an important festival of Jainism, which is held at
Shravanabelagola in the state of Karnataka at an interval of 12 years.
● “Samadhi Maran” is related to Jain philosophy.

Patron of Jainism
South India
● Kadamba dynasty, Ganga dynasty, Amoghavarsha, Kumarapala (Chalukya
dynasty)
North India
● Bimbisara, Chandpradyod, Ajatshatru, Chandragupta Maurya, Bindusara, Chetak
and Kharavela.

● In Jain literature, Ashoka's Grandson Samprati has been described as the protector
of Jainism. He ruled in Ujjain due to which Ujjain became the major center of
Jainism.
● Kharavela, the Chedi ruler of Kalinga, was a great patron of Jainism. He made the
Udayagiri and Khandagiri hills near Bhubaneswar a monastery for the Jain monks
of Katwa.

Practice:

Q. Mahavir Jayanti celebrates the birthday of Lord Mahavira who is the

Tirthankara of Jainism.
SSC CHSL 08/07/2024 (1st shift)
(a) 23𝑟𝑑
(b) 26𝑡ℎ
(c) 24𝑡ℎ
(d) 25𝑡ℎ
Sol.(c) 24𝑡ℎ .

Q. Consider the following statements:

1. Dilwara Temple, a major Jain temple at Mount Abu (Rajasthan), was built by
Vimal Shah, a feudatory of the Chalukya ruler Bhimdev I of Gujarat.
2. Sammed Shikharji (Parasnath Hill), located in Jharkhand, is regarded as one of
the most important pilgrimage sites for the followers of Jainism.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2

Q. Consider the following statements regarding the Shvetambara sect of Jainism:

 1. Shvetambaras wear white clothes as their distinctive practice.
2. According to them, Mahavira was married.
3. They believe that salvation (moksha) is possible for women.
4. They hold that food is required to attain Kaivalya.
Which of the above statements are correct?
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 2, 3 and 4 only
(c) 1 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: (a) 1, 2 and 3 only
● Statement 1 – Correct: The word Shvetambara literally means "white-clad"; they
wear white clothes.
● Statement 2 – Correct: They accept that Mahavira was married to Yashoda.
● Statement 3 – Correct: Shvetambaras believe that women can also achieve
moksha (salvation).
● Statement 4 – Incorrect: The idea that food is needed to attain kaivalya is not
their doctrine; it is a misinterpretation.

Q. Consider the following statements:

1. Sallekhana in Jainism is a voluntary vow of gradually reducing food and liquid
intake, leading to death in peace and detachment.
2. Jain texts equate Sallekhana with suicide, as both involve ending one’s life
deliberately.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (a) 1 only