This article discusses one of Jainism’s oldest traditions, Santhara, where Jains nearing the end of their life partake in a final fast and starve themselves to death in order to rid of Karma that they possess. The author of this article talks about their own experience observing this ritual practice and how many people partake in this fast each year. They also describe how this practice is done and why it is still practiced today and what can be taught from it. It goes on to discuss how this ritual practice has begun to be against the law because it is considered suicide. Many countries even consider this act punishable by law because of the anti-suicide laws that are in place. But a question rises whether or not this should not be considered suicide since it is an important spiritual practice because in Jainism, they believe the soul does not die, it just shifts into a …show more content…
Not anyone can partake in this fasting, as it is only allowable for those with incurable diseases, or when the person is already near death (Madan). This practice is very honorable and those who practice it do so in order to get rid of old karma and to inhibit old ones from developing. In Jainism, it is said that the soul does not die, that it just gets transferred to a new physical body, known as reincarnation. Karma is what determines whether someone’s soul is reincarnated and has to repeat a new life for eternity. It is believed what someone does in their old life affects what happens in their new life. If one is able to get rid of Karma, they believe that they reach liberation and their soul will be set free from reincarnation, where they will “...ascend to a place of everlasting freedom at the highest limits of the universe” (RNS, 2016). This releasing of their soul is referred to as Moksha. Reaching liberation is very important to Jains and it is each of their ultimate goal in
Sacks, B. (2014). Modern Jainism: One Of The Fastest Growing Religions Is Changing Tradition. Retrieved from http://www.neontommy.com
Jain and Jain renouncers are very dedicated to the practice of ahimsa, or nonviolence. They are very aware of their world around them and what will happen to their karma if they harm any walks life. Jains try to eventually purge any negative karma they might have accumulated over their lifetime. Through this dedication to nonviolence, Jains work tirelessly to make sure that their intentional actions will not bring harm to anything or anyone. Many objects and traditions are connected to objects that can be found in their environment. Jains coexist with the world and wish to be a part of it and not leave a mark on it. Through their practice of ahimsa, Jains have formed a unique relationship and lifestyle practice with the world around them.
As Buddhism spread from India to China beginning in the first century C.E., it was met with mixed results and reviews in the classes. The Chinese people in some dynasties preferred Buddhism’s philosophy and promise of the afterlife while others scrutinized Buddhism’s absence from past texts. Although the Chinese turned to Buddhism for its promises of external enlightenment during times of hardship and invasion, the period that followed the initial spread led to many attempts to reconcile the religion with the traditional religion of Confucianism, increasing the views that Buddhism was a barbaric invasion.
Buddhism saw its initial, but slow rise under the Han Dynasty, which lasted from 206 BCE to 220 CE; however, the religion spread rapidly towards the end of the Han amidst political chaos and hesitance in Confucian principles. During the postclassical era, Buddhism’s spread in China was caused by the prospect of Nirvana, while it also gave way to both negative and positive responses.
Buddhism originated in India in the sixth century BCE and spread throughout China starting from about the first century CE. Buddhist ideologies appealed to a majority of the lower-class in china, as it served to embody a much more pleasant life, rather than the lack of opportunities for them in China’s political society. However, the social elites and government authorities saw Buddhism as a threat to their previous decrees and traditions, and may consequently result in a loss of their political power. As a result, they sought to undermine the impact of Buddhism on their societies by discrediting it’s teachings.
In a quote from the Dalai Lama he says, “My religion is very simply. My religion is kindness.” IN buddhism where the main goal is happiness, that quote seems to explain it all. The fact of the matter is, religion has been around since the beginning of mankind; religion gave people faith, structure, and a way of life. Without it people begin to lose their sense of direction and purpose. In today’s society there are over 4,200 religions, and they continue to aid people in their life and accommodate to their needs of self-knowledge. In comparison to Cao Dai, Eckankar and Jainism, Buddhism is a religion because of its similar beliefs, the way it's practiced, and its head figure.
Hinduism, also known by the name Sanatana-Dharma, is often referred to as the “oldest religion” in the world, is generally considered to be an ethnic religion and is fundamentally based on the religion of the original Aryan settlers. “Hinduism, from the Persian Hindi (Sanskrit sindhu), literally "river." Means "of the Indus Valley" or simply "Indian." Hindus call their religion sanatama dharma,"eternal religion" or "eternal truth” (“Facts on Hinduism”). It was founded around 3000 BCE, and is now considered to be the third largest religion in the world. Followers of Hinduism, which is estimated to be anywhere around 900 million, are especially concentrated in India, Nepal, and other countries throughout Asia. The broader world contact that has occurred since World War II allowed various forms of Hinduism to become more widely known and accepted. The multiple Hindu sects, including the Krishna Consciousness, have been particularly successful among young American and Europeans and claims to be adherent around the world. Hinduism is dissimilar compared to other religions, in the fact that it has no founders. This religion is considered to be permissive in creed or code as it is not necessarily coordinated in any way, even though various sects and cults are formulated. This religion is especially known for its tolerance because it is willing to accommodate those who are exceptionally religious; whether it be a Jew, Christian, or Muslim as a part of their religion. Hinduism is very transformable and accepts elements of different religion. Overtime it has even developed different aspects of both Christianity and Buddhism and incorporated them into the religion of Hinduism. Hinduism worships a multiplicity of gods; the most important in...
Religious discrimination is the biggest social issue in the USA. Since the 9/11 attacks Sikh’s have been tortured and treated really badly only because of their appearance. Arabs and Muslims are also tortured because of the religion they belong to. People should not insult other people without even knowing about their background. People should try to get to know about other person’s background before coming into any conclusion, he might be the best person they have ever met. The U.S. should abolish the practice of practice of profiling based on appearance at government office, schools, private offices etc.
Some people believe that karma means action and reaction, this is not strictly true, karma actually means " `act', `action' or `activity' "(Fowler. 1997. p11). It can be said, however, that for every action there must be a reaction. Karma is not confined to physical actions, mental actions also count. So Hindus believe that everything a person does or thinks is an action and depending on whether the action is good or bad that person receives good or bad karma as a reaction. "So, if some are happy then they must have done good in the past; if others are suffering they must have done something bad." "This is not fatalism; the law of karma says that we alone - not God or the Devil - are responsible for our fate" (Prinja. 1998. p36). Karma returns to us through everything we do. If a person does something good, with the sole intention of bettering him or herself, they will receive bad karma. Good karma is only received when a person commits a good action without thinking of himself or herself. Most Hindus will spend their entire lives attempting to accrue more good than bad karma. In the case of someone who has accrued sufficiently high levels of bad karma, the said person's spirit may not return after reincarnation as a human. It is possible for a spirit to return as an animal " in order to reap the results of bad karma until it is used up sufficiently to allow reincarnation as a human being once more." (Fowler. 1999. p208). This karma builds up inside a person in the form of the jivatman or personality.
Thus, I thought that trying out the Jain diet for my project would prove to be an interesting yet challenging experience to take part in so that I can gain a little bit of insight into what life as a Jain might be like. Additionally, the man in the well parable also resonated with me. Even though the man has fallen down a well and will probably be attacked by the snakes or swallowed by the python, he is still focused on the honey dripping from the bees. This made me think deeply about how illogical it is for a person to be so caught up with the trivial aspects of life when there are far more serious issues at hand, like impending death in the case of the
Karma, also known as Karman is a basic concept common to Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. The doctrine of Karma states that one's state in this life is a result of actions both physical and mental in past carnations, and action in this life can determine one's destiny in future incarnations. Karma is a natural, impersonal law of moral cause and effect and has no connection with the idea of a supreme power that decrees punishment of forgiveness of sins. Karmic law is universally applicable, and only those who have attained liberation from rebirth, called mukti (or moksha) or nirvana, can be transcend it. (The Columbia Encyclopedia)
Jainism is one of the oldest religions founded in India (“History of Jainism”). Jainism holds...
While most traditional religions are easy to define and comprehend, Hinduism is not. It cannot be spoken about as one single entity but rather a label for many different traditions within itself that originated in India. It is the world’s third largest religion with a following of a billion people. Hinduism, at its most basic definition, is the belief in either several gods or goddess, or the belief in one God with many faces. It is a way of life that relies heavily on the ideas of cause and effect. They believe in reincarnation with a desire to be liberated from the cycle of birth and death. They believe it is the key to a lifetime of happiness, prosperity and love. While it is considered to be the oldest
Jainism; an ancient religion from India that shows individuals that the way to liberation and bliss is to live lives of harmlessness and renunciation. Jains believe that all things have a living soul. The quintessence of Jainism is concern for the welfare of every being in the universe and the health of the universe itself. All souls are equal and must be treated with respect and compassion. Jains are strict vegetarians and live like minimalists, avoiding as much waste as possible. Jains seek to attain ultimate liberation - which means escaping the continuous cycle of birth, death and rebirth with the intent of the immortal soul living forever in a state of bliss. Once an individual has eliminated all karma from the soul, liberation is obtained.
Jainism is another religion that I am not too familiar with. There are many Jains in our school, and I believe I actually signed up for a club about Jainism earlier this semester, yet I have still not learned anything about this religion until I started this research. Learning about these religions have helped provide me a new perspective and a better appreciation for what these faiths teach, and Jainism has been no exception. By further studying this religion, I have learned key values that I can apply to my life.