Chapter 1: Jain Concept of God and the Universe

Maitri Shah Contents

-History -Concept of God -Concept of Universe -Concept of Time -Fundamental Tenets of -Lineage of Tirthankars -Kevali -Conclusion History

❖ India → cradle of civilization ➢ Birthplace of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. ❖ Oldest in the world and predates recorded history as referenced in Hindu scriptures ➢ One of the essential spiritual traditions of the South Asian religious fabric ❖ Different from other systems and philosophical traditions of India ❖ Purely of human origin ❖ Had several different names in ancient times ➢ Shraman (ascetic) tradition ➢ The religion of Nirgrantha (one who has removed all bondages in life) ➢ Religion of Jina Concept of God ❖ Self-realized individuals who have attained perfect knowledge, omniscience, and self-control by personal effort ➢ Liberated from the bondage of attachment and aversion (karma), and of worldly existence, and ending the cycles of life and death. ❖ Viewed as Gods in Jainism ❖ Numerous names: ➢ Tirthankar, Kevali, Arihanta, Arhat, Jina, and Siddha ❖ All these words depict various qualities of Jain God. Concept of the Universe Many religions try to answer questions like: Who created the universe? What is the age of the universe? Is it ageless? What is the universe made of? How is the cosmos structured? What is the fate of the universe and so on? So… what’s the answer?

Jains believe the universe is If we assume that God created self-existing and eternal. Our the universe, then we have to theory states that the universe answer the question, who functions according to its own created the Creator? Here the cosmic laws, it is self regulated. logic breaks. One answer is The universe is without a that God is self-existent and beginning or an end, and is He is eternal. everlasting and eternal. ❖ Six fundamental entities constitute the universe ➢ Known as or Substances ❖ Eternal entities that continuously undergo countless changes ➢ No new elements are created no existing elements are destroyed ➢ Every element continuously changes its forms. ❖ Nothing is lost or destroyed during the transformations ❖ Previous forms give way to new ones without losing their own inherent qualities.

Concept of Time ❖ Time is a basic element and is cyclic ❖ Every time cycle has two half cycles ➢ Utsarpini (progressive) ➢ Avasarpini (regressive) ❖ Each half cycle is further divided into six eras ❖ Infinite time cycles in the past and there will be infinite future time cycles ➢ Time has no beginning or end ❖ Right now, we are in the fifth era of Avasarpini half cycle. ❖ Bhagawän Mahävir was the last Tirthankar who lived about 2600 years ago ❖ Bhagawän Rishabha was the first Tirthankar who lived millions of years ago. 12 Fundamental Tenets of Jainism ❖ The soul is bound by karma and is ignorant of its true nature ❖ Soul migrates from one life cycle to another and the continues to bind with new karma ❖ The soul is bound by karmas because of attachment and aversion ❖ Path of liberating the soul from attachment and aversion is fundamental philosophy Jains address the path of liberation in a rational way… Right Knowledge Right Faith Right Conduct

❖ Proper knowledge, faith, and conduct will lead to Nirvana (worldly soul to liberation) ❖ In this way, the continuous binding process of karma to the soul will be broken ❖ Ultimate goal is for the soul to be liberated from desires, attachment and aversion ❖ When perfect knowledge, vision, and conduct, is achieved, one becomes omnipotent Cardinal Principles

Ahimsa (non-violence) Anekäntaväda Aparigraha ❖ We practice of Ahimsa (multiplicity of views) (non-possession) (non-violence) towards not ❖ Jainism doesn’t accept ❖ Freedom from attachment only towards human one-sided views, the only to worldly objects beings, but towards all represent the partial truth ❖ Possessions and living beings ❖ Whole truth can’t be attachment to possessions ❖ Refers abolishing acts of explained by one viewpoint can hurt yourself and violence from the hearts ❖ All angles and aspects of a others and minds of human beings needs to be analyzed and ❖ Entails universal considered compassion, universal forgiveness, and universal fearlessness Lineage of Tirthankars ❖ Lord Mahävir expounded the the was preached by his predecessor Tirthankar Pärshvanäth ➢ Adding the vow of celibacy and introduced ➢ Daily Pratikraman for his followers. ❖ Felt changes were essential for proper ❖ spiritual advancement ❖ Mahävir and other Tirthankars are more reformers of an existing religion than founders ❖ Current Jain scriptures are a compilation of Lord Mahävir’s teachings ❖ Jain religion is eternal but various Tirthankars have continually modified its code of conduct and practice ➢ Based on time, place, people’s capability and circumstances of the era 18 Kevali ❖ When an individual destroys all karma, they attain absolute knowledge and vision, perfect conduct, and infinite energy ❖ The soul becomes supreme and that is known as Kevali (omniscient) ❖ After attaining Kevali, souls show the path of liberation to humanity through their preaching ➢ Called Tirthankars ➢ Establish the four-fold Jain order called Sangha ❖ Sangha is comprised of monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen. ❖ Omniscient who are not Tirthankars, spend the rest of their life in meditative blissful state ➢ Attain liberation when the rest of the physical karma is exhausted Arihanta ❖ Ari means enemies, and Hant means destroyer. ❖ Arihanta → Destroyer of enemies. ➢ Internal enemies such as anger, ego, deceit, and greed ❖ Until these passions are eliminated, true nature of soul is not realized Arhat ❖ Means worthy of worship. One who is respected by all living beings of heaven, earth, and hell is called Arha Tirthankar ❖ Lays down the spiritual order and explains the path of liberation to cross over the sea of suffering. Jina ❖ Jina literally means “the Victor” or “the Liberator”, ❖ Has conquered the inner enemies of worldly passions Siddha ❖ The Kevalis are liberated upon exhausting rest of the physical karma ❖ Free from the physical body, reside at the top of the universe in Siddha-loka for eternity, enjoying pure consciousness. Conclusion

❖ Jains don’t believe in a creator God, but it is not an atheistic religion ➢ Believe in an infinite number of Gods that are self-realized, omniscient, and have attained liberation from birth, death, and suffering ❖ Arihantas, Tirthankars, or Jinas have accomplished the ultimate goal ➢ Liberation from suffering through personal efforts ❖ These individuals were human beings like us, they weren’t immortal beings or an incarnation of an almighty God ➢ Many have existed in the past and many will achieve this spiritual stage in the future ❖ All human beings have the potential to reach such a spiritual stage. ➢ No supernatural power that gives favors to us if we please him ❖ We rely a great deal on self-effort and self-initiative for both worldly requirements and own salvation/liberation ❖ Everyone is the master of their own destiny