Essay On Jainism

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Lowe, Jainism
1.History of Jainism

Jainism was founded during 6th century BCE and originated in India. The believed founder is known as Mahavira. The name Jainism derives from the Jinas; known as the “conquerors”. There are 24 teachers called tirthankaras meaning “ford-makers” through whom their faith was revealed.
Mahavira was the last of the tirthankaras. He was born a Hindu with the name of Vardhamona in North East India in 540 BCE. He was a prince, the son of King Siddhartha and Queen Trishala who were members of the Kshatriya (warrior) caste and followed the teachings of Parshva. Shortly after his parents’ death, at age 30, he left the royal palace to be an ascetic, a sadhona, one who renounces all worthy pleasures and comforts. He was able to go 12 years with extremely long and difficult periods of meditation and fasting. His amazing efforts bore fruit. He soon contained kevalnyan, meaning enlightenment, and was then called Mahavira. The meaning behind his name is “Great Hero”.
Mahavira taught his discovered paths to other seekers until his death at age 72. During his final period of intensive fasting he contained moksha, the final liberation from all rebirth. He added a principle of chasity to the four Jain principles given by Parshva. The principle was of no violence, no lying, no stealing and having no possessions. He also established a community of 14,000 monks and 36,000 nuns before his death.
Over the next centuries, the Jain community grew. It had spread to the central and western areas of India. It then lost strength and grew in the early part of the last millennium. By the middle of the 19th century, it was seriously weakened.
Jainism was revived in the later of the 19th century by Svetambera reformers. I...

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...obtained by the Holy Spirit whereas Jains say that you have to have liberation of the soul to obtain moksha.
Jesus’ saying that the spirit leads you to all truth is the same as the Right of Faith in Jainism. Religions, Catholic and Jainism, practice fasting, prayers, and other daily practices and believe that ones true self is found through selfless behavior and love to all.
While Jains believe that the world is eternal, Catholics believe that God is eternal and that he created the world in His own free will. Jains believe that equality to all is necessary for all living things including humans, animals, plants and any living organism and this is why they are strict vegetarians. Christians do love all things but use plants and animals as a source of life and do not consider to not harm them as a religious duty, although some Christians are vegetarians by choice.

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