Jainism is an eastern religion with origins in the indus river valley dating back to 3000 b. For the svetambara sect, as for all jains, the jinas are the ultimate source of teaching. According to jain tradition their religion is quite old, even anterior to aryan brahmanism. These texts are the holy scriptures of the jain religion. Popular jainism books meet your next favorite book. Choose from 500 different sets of jainism religion flashcards on quizlet. The jains have 5 great vows by which they try to live their lives. The texts containing the teachings of mahavira are called the agamas, and these are the scriptures of svetambara jainism.
Mahavira 6th century bc is said to be the historical founder. One of the puranas describes rishabha as an incarnation of narayana. It is worthwhile to see what the exact differences between the digambara and svetambara sects of jainism are. There are no commandments but the texts discusses the natural laws of the universe. Though most of the world knows little about jainism, god knows every jain intimately, down to the number of hairs on their heads. The significant svetambara text of the kalpasutra provides the principal record of mendicant lineages. The conflict between the svetambara and digambara sects. The monks and nuns of the shvetambara sect wear simple white garments. Jainism is not a revealed religion, but a religion of purely human origin.
Jainism offers a quiet, overwhelmingly serious way of life, a cultural insistence on compassion, a society of ethics that has dramatically changed the world and will continue to effect change. Jain literature is primarily divided between digambara literature and svetambara literature. Men and women both are allowed to join this sect, and often dress in white. Followers of jainism are called jains and must observe five major vows. All jains believe that this teaching was first transmitted orally. There are two main sects in jainism svetambara and digambara.
Most religions have sets of holy writings that lay out key principles and offer guidance and examples to believers, and jainism is no exception. Jainism does have scriptures called agamas meaning canonical texts. All sects agree that teaching was first transmitted orally, however, the two main sects of jainism, svetambara and digambara disagree on which scriptures are authoritative, or most important. It is generally believed that the jain sangha divided into two major sects, digambar and svetambar, about 200 years after mahaviras nirvana. The conflict between the svetambara and digambara sects comes into play regarding the drstivada. Jainism originated around the 7th century bc during a time when many groups including buddhists were breaking away from hinduism. Jainism believes that the more worldly wealth a person possesses, the more he is likely to commit sin to acquire and maintain the possession, and in a long run he may be unhappy. They differ from literary texts by being a compilation or discussion of beliefs, mythologies, ritual practices, commandments or laws, ethical conduct, spiritual aspirations, and for creating or fostering a religious community.
The jainism has its own scriptures called agamas or srutas, which are directly derived from the tirthankaras. Scripture is the synonym of the holy text, which consists of religious dogmas, and assertions of an authentic authority apta purusa. Each of these sects is also divided into subgroups. Jainworld is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of jain tradition of wisdom, compassion, equality, brotherhood, universal wellbeing and spirituality. Full text of yoga sastra of hemacandra a 12 century hand book of svetambara jainism olle quarnstrom university of harvard 60 see other formats. The most often cited book of the jains is the tattvartha sutra book of reality thought to date from the second millennium bce, but only recorded in written form in the 5th century ce by umasvati, and it is at that point that jainism splintered into the two main sects. Despite, both have different views when it comes to scriptures, liberation, dress, the birth of mahavira etc. These are further divided into different subsects and traditions. Dundas looks at jainism in its social and doctrinal context, explaining its history, sects, scriptures and ritual, and describing how the jains have, over 2500 years, defined themselves as a unique religious community. Karma is an invisible force in hinduism, whereas in jainism it is a form of matter which can stick to the soul. Hence you will not find a single text like bible or quran in jainism. The best available information indicates that the chief jain monk, acharya bhadrabahu, foresaw famine and led about 12,000 digambar followers to. Mahaviras disciples compiled his words into texts or sutras, and.
Some historians believe there was no clear division until the 5th century. The first of these was rishabhanatha, who according to. The holy teachers are called the jina, and they are the epitome of teaching for all jains, especially the jina mahavira. Books on jainism and jain philosophy hindu website. This book covers a lot of ground, the author does a great job of showing you the length and breadth of what is jainism, and by the time you reach the end of the text, at least i did have a very good understanding of the beauty and deep wisdom which can benefit our modern world more than ever. The a to z of jainism covers the history of jainism that spans a period of more than 2,500 years. Michael tobias has described nonviolanceahimsa in great details. The svetambara canon consists principally of 45 works divided as follows. Jainism is transtheistic, and jains trace their spiritual ideas and history through a succession of twentyfour leaders or tirthankaras. The digambara disagree, believing that much of the information in the drstivada was retained in the satkhandagama, which is one of the only two texts that the digambara recognize as. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers. Whiterobed, or whiteclad one of the two principal sects of jainism, a religion of india. The texts containing the teachings of mahavira are called the agamas, and are the canonical literature the scriptures of svetambara jainism mahaviras disciples compiled his.
This is in contrast to the practice followed by the parallel sect, the digambara skyclad, which does. Therefore, they have renounced all material possessions. We have certain scriptures which are considered as very sacred. Jaina canon, the sacred texts of jainism, a religion of india, whose authenticity is disputed between sects. The book presents jainism in a way that is authentic and engaging to specialists and nonspecialists alike. They believe that if you have anything to your name, you cannot realise the highest. The tattvarthsutra is regarded as the most authoritative book on jainism, and the only text authoritative in both the svetambara and digambara sects main article. The jain literature which was complied by ganadharas and srutkevlis is known as agam literature. The indian religion of jainism, whose central tenet involves nonviolence to all creatures, is one of the worlds oldest and leastunderstood faiths. Jain literature exists mainly in magadhi prakrit, sanskrit, marathi, tamil, rajasthani, dhundari, marwari, hindi, gujarati, kannada, malayalam, tulu and more recently in english. Jainism is an indian religion which is traditionally believed to be propagated by twentyfour spiritual teachers known as tirthankara.
Difference between svetambara and digambara in jainism. Written in the twelfth century by the polymath hemacandra, it was instrumental in the survival and growth of jainism in india as well as in the spreading of sanskrit culture within jaina circles. The world of jainism this is the best book on jainism. The yogasastra and its voluminous autocommentary, the svopajnavrtti, is the most comprehensive treatise on svetambara jainism. Jainism is an ecologically responsible way of life which is nonviolent in thought, action, and deed. It is also common for them to wear a mask over their mouth and nose, as to not breathe in any organisms in the air. In fact there are no fundamental doctrinal differences between the two sects. In accordance with their practice of nonviolence, the monks also use a peacockfeather duster to clear their path of insects to. Literally, the monks of the digambaras are naked while those of the svetambaras wear white clothes. Deities in digambara temples are plain and undecorated, while the deities and interior of a svetambara temple are ornate with glass, paintings, gold and jeweled decor. Jain beliefs fundamental beliefs of jainism the soul is bounded by karma from the beginning of time. The worldly wealth creates attachments, which will continuously result in greed, jealousy, selfishness, ego, hatred, violence, etc.
While there are differences in practices, the core philosophy and main principles of each sect is same. He loves them so much that he sent his own son, jesus, to pay the penalty for their sins. The holy book of jainism is a collection of texts known as agam literature or the agam sutras. Broadly, jainism is divided into two major schools of thought, digambara and svetambara. Shah jain study center of north carolina raleigh 401 farmstead drive, cary nc 275115631 9194690956 and fax email. Followers of jainism are called jains, a word derived from the sanskrit word jina, meaning victor.
The svetambara sect, on the other hand, is far simpler. Parasparopagraho jivanam the function of souls is to help one another is the motto of jainism. Jainism dont have any specific holy book like the bhagavad geeta,the quran or the bible. The kalpa sutra is the holy book of the of jainism religion. Kasayapahuda acharya gunadhara wrote the kasaypahud on the basis of the fifth purva. This is especially true of the 24th jina, mahavira. The relative authority of religious texts develops over time and is derived from the ratification. In hinduism, gods are worshiped in several ways and for several reasons such as knowledge, peace, wisdom, health, and it also believed to be ones duty to pray god as god is considered as our maker as we originated from them and we are staying in them and at last will. The yajurveda mentions rishabha, ajinatha and aristanemi.
Learn jainism religion with free interactive flashcards. Svetambara means whiteclad, and refers to its ascetics practice of wearing white clothes, which sets it apart from the digambara sky. On divali parents will often give sweets to their children, and lamps are lit all over india. Digambara means one who is naked or one who has the sky as his clothes. Agams are the jain texts which are based on the discourse. The agam sutras show great reverence for all forms of life and strict codes of vegetarianism, asceticism, nonviolence, and opposition to war. The second section of the kalpasutra is the sthaviravali, which supposedly documents the situation at the time of the 24th jina, mahavira mahavira had 11 disciples ga. Selfdiscipline and asceticism are thus major focuses of jainism. Jains see these texts, which are the transcriptions of lord mahavirs sermons, as sacred documents. Religious texts are texts related to a religious tradition. In jainism it has special significance, as on this day in 527 bce according to svetambara tradition that mahavira gave his last teachings and attained ultimate liberation.
The svetambara believe that the drstivada was lost to memory, but that its essence was saved in the angabahya. What is the difference between svetambara and digambara in jainism. Jain literature comprises jain agamas and subsequent commentaries on them by various jain ascetics. Svetambara or shvetambara the white clad they wear the white robes digambara or digambar the sky clad they go naked they declared the shvetambaras apostate and declined to accept any of their texts or traditions. Sects like terapanthis jainism oppose the notion of worshiping in a temple, but there are many temples devoted to the two main sects, svetambara jainism and digambara jainism.
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