Jainism Research Paper

Jainism emerged around the sixth century BCE in India, a similar time period when Buddhism started to develop. Jainism was founded by a tirthankara or a “path-maker” named Mahavira. Tirthankaras, also known as jinas are spiritual leaders who guide the Jains to reach liberation by following a lifestyle that is focused on discipline, nonviolence, and purification. Mahavira was a warrior Prince, but after his parents’ death he took on the journey of an ascetic. Through severe fasting and meditation, Mahavira attained enlightenment and moksha. He spent the rest of his life teaching others, and added the fifth principle of chastity to Parshva’s four principles. Jains use these principles through traditions in their daily lives. Mahavira left his family at the age of thirty to find a solution to end all sufferings, pains,

Mahatma Gandhi is widely known to take a nonviolent approach to free India. Ahimsa is the concept of nonviolence and it teaches to be caring and compassionate to all beings and things. “Ahimsä, or non-violence, is a very broad subject. Jains believe that all life forms have a soul, and all souls are basically equal and should be treated with respect… Violence can be committed in three ways – thoughts, words and actions.” (Shah 27) Jains believe that every soul is equal and deserves the same level of respect and treatment. They believe that the way to save their soul is by saving others’ soul. Ahimsa plays a major role in their diet. Jains are strict vegetarians and they usually exclude onions, potatoes, eggplants, and garlic from their meal. They believe that potatoes and onions are impure because they grow underground in the dirt. Therefore, they cannot consume them. Jains also do not eat meat, fish, and eggs because consuming them is against ahimsa. They are supporting the death of a living being for their needy pleasures, which is entirely against their beliefs. (Shah