This booklet provides a brief summary of each agama in gujarati. In principle jain holy places are sacred for all the jains. The names and details of the other saints are briefly listed. Jains believe that jainism is an eternal dharma with the tirthankaras guiding every cycle of the jain cosmology. Haribhadra c 8th century wrote the yogadisamuccaya, a key jain text on yoga which compares the yoga systems of buddhists, hindus and jains. Jains see these texts, which are the transcriptions of lord mahavirs sermons, as sacred documents. Jainism believes that universe and all its substances or entities are eternal. What is the holy books of the jains and buddhists called. The books of jainism were written in the popular vernacular dialects as opposed to sanskrit which was the classical standard of brahmanism, and therefore encompass a number of related dialects. Jaina sutras, part ii sacred books of the east vol. The followers of hinduism and buddhism got along well with the jains because the jainism was a lot like their own religion.
Christians worship in churches and their spiritual leaders are called priests. The holy book of the sikh religion is the guru granth sahib. Jains believe that perfected souls disappear from the world and live at the top of the universe jainism, as taught by mahavira, emerged. Best holy books 222 books meet your next favorite book. Jainism is an indian religion that emphasizes complete nonviolence and asceticism.
The portrait of the jains that emerges in this book is significantly different from those found in earlier textbased studies that failed to portray the lived experience of jainism. Jainism is indias sixthlargest religion and is practiced throughout india as per the 2011 census, there are 4,451,753 jains in the 1. Jainism is a south asian religious tradition which takes its name from those sanskrit, jaina. The videvat are religious law books laying down codes of conduct and procedures for penance. Unlike most common monotheistic religions, jainism does not have one holy book that characterizes their faith. Jainism is an eastern religion with origins in the indus river valley dating back to 3000 b. It was translated into english under the title that which is. This book presents a detailed fieldworkbased study of the ancient indian religion of jainism. Jainism religion bhagwan mahavir jain symbol belief. Agams are the jain texts which are based on the discourse.
In this book, all the 24 tirthankaras and their lives are written about. The name mahavira literally means hero or great man. These texts are the holy scriptures of the jain religion. Paradham, vallabh baug lane, tilak road, ghatkopar east, mumbai, maharashtra 400077, india. Jains trace their spiritual ideas and history through a succession of twentyfour leaders or. List of world religions and founders, religious books, place. Diwali has a special significance in jainism because on this day mahavira achieved deliverance and gave his last teaching.
Followers of jainism are called jains, a word derived from the sanskrit word jina victor. This name is what lord mahavirs the main sacred person eleven desciples were referred to as. The jains ten comandments the most significant regions. The following list of books incorporates a number of salient points of view, and they would be especially good for those not raised as jains. This shows a time of thinking and ruefulness for a jain believer. Sep 10, 2009 jains may visit any number of temples or other locations that are associated with the lives and deeds of the tirthankaras. Jainism, indian religion teaching a path to spiritual purity and enlightenment through disciplined nonviolence ahimsa, literally noninjury to all living creatures.
Jainism the holy book of jains is called the kalpa sutra. It has also explained the process of becoming a jina. Some religious jains will follow what mahavira did and fast for diwalis two days. Mostly because names like the bible and the quran dont lend themselves well to creating new names. Mahavira, also known as vardhamana was the 24th tirthankara of jainism. Along with hinduism and buddhism, jainism is one of the three most ancient indian religious traditions still in existence and an integral part of south asian religious belief and practice. These teachers are also called makers of the ford sanskrit, t i rtha. Unlike monotheistic traditions, the jains do not have a unique holy book that characterises their faith. I focused more on the types of names you find in works of fiction, rather than religious works of real life. This booklet provides a brief summary of each agama with a few key sutras highlighted. The oldest jain literature is in shauraseni and ardhamagadhi prakrit agamas, agamatulya, siddhanta texts, etc.
Universe runs own its own accord by its own cosmic laws. In the story of their lives, mahavira and the buddha show similarities such as aristocratic family, left home to. Chapter 5 jainism and sikhism jainism places great emphasis on ahimsa. The jain literature which was complied by ganadharas and srutkevlis is known as agam literature.
Religious texts, also known as scripture, scriptures, holy writ, or holy books, are the texts which various religious traditions consider to be sacred, or central to their religious tradition. Followers of jainism are called jains, and there are about 4 million worldwide. One of the most famous and holy sites of pilgrimage for jains is in. What is the name of the sacred literature of the svetambara jains. Popular jainism books meet your next favorite book.
On this day, fasting, meditation, atonement, worship of the holy books, and holy recitation take place. He also wrote samhita, a book dealing with legal cases. This festival honors the 15th century reformer lonka saha who founded the sthanakvasi sect of jains, opposed to temple worship and the use of idols of any sort. Jainism emerged in 6thcentury bce india, the same time buddhism was developing. Agam literature consists of many texts, which are the sacred books of the jain religion. Jainism is a transtheistic religion, and jains trace their.
If one wants to meet god, then that soul will have to rule out its negative traits and meditate to become a jina. This page lists some jain festivals and holy days, including the birthday of mahavira and paryushana, which started as a monastic day of reflection. In india, puja is carried out by the females in the family, most likely the wife of the eldest son girls marry into families and live with their husband and his family, where the husbands mother is in charge of the familys affairs. Jainism dont have any specific holy book like the bhagavad geeta,the quran or the bible. Along with hinduism and buddhism, jainism is one of the three most ancient indian religious traditions still in existence and an. English, jain who follow the teachings and example of authoritative teachers called jina conqueror. Jaina canon, the sacred texts of jainism, a religion of india, whose authenticity is disputed between.
Jain prakrit is a term loosely used for the language of the jain agamas canonical texts. Jainism seems to be most strongly concerned about breaking the power of bondage to the physical world. Collectively these texts are called jain canonical or agam literature. Instead they have a collection of holy writings and scriptures. The faith is named for the jinas, spiritual conquerors who have achieved liberation and perfection. The holy teachers are called the jina, and they are the epitome of teaching for all jains, especially the jina mahavira. Confucius, a title meaning master, wrote in the fifth century b.
Bible is the holy book which consists of old and new testaments. The daily prayer book the parsis use everyday is khordeh avesta the smaller avesta. The kalpa sutra is the holy book of the of jainism religion. Jainism, indian religion teaching a path to spiritual purity and enlightenment through disciplined nonviolence ahimsa, literally noninjury to all living creatures overview. The texts had to be memorised since jain monks and nuns were not allowed to possess religious books as part of their vow of nonacquisition. He abandoned all worldly possessions at the age of about 30 and left home in pursuit of spiritual awakening. Jainism dont have any specific holy book like the bhagavad geeta, the quran or the bible. Analects of confucius this collection of sayings and lessons records conversations confucius had with a group of students in his home province of lu between 510 and 479 b. Corts own interpretation of jainism focuses on a distinction between two realms of value. Religion and culture of the jains by jyoti prasad jain 1983, bharatiya jnanpith will provide an orderly and clear. All the substances change or modify their forms continuously. Hence, the jain religion does not have one sacred book like the bible or koran. The word canon for the jain holy writings is increasingly felt to be inadequate, for it implies an unchanging body of texts sanctioned by a central authority. Indian religions, hinduism, jainism, sikhism, christianity.
The great learning, or daxue, originated as a chapter in the book of rites, a huge compendium dating from the second century b. This festival has 8 days of fasting, remorsefulness, and pujas. In practice, some places are definitely of more importance to svetambaras than to digambaras and vice versa, and these are managed by institutions affiliated to one sect or the other. This name generator will give you 10 names for holy books, scriptures and similar works of the divine. The holy book is on a throne positioned at the front of the hall.
Many classical texts are in sanskrit tatvartha sutra, puranas, koshas, shravakacharas, mathematics, nighantus etc. To celebrate diwali parents give candy to their children and all over india there are lamps lit. The daily prayerbook the parsis use everyday is khordeh avesta the smaller avesta. This agam describes the names, positions, and residences of devas angels. In jainism, puja can be done individually or communally. There are six highly recommended books that together form an excellent literary introduction to jainism and the jain way of thinking. We have certain scriptures which are considered as very sacred. Regarding the ability of human beings to find the truth, jainism a. Chapter 5 jainism and sikhism free essay examples database. The religion derives its name from the jina s conquerors, a title given to twentyfour great teachers tirthankara s or fordmakers. Jainism places great emphasis on ascetism hylozoism the background philosophy of jainism the belief that all physical matter has life and feeling and can suffer the jains consider mahavira to be the greatest of the tirthankaras.
Oct 18, 2010 the place of worship for jainism is called the deresar. Jain literature comprises jain agamas and subsequent commentaries on them by various jain. Jains may visit any number of temples or other locations that are associated with the lives and deeds of the tirthankaras. Christianity is the worlds biggest religion, with about 2. Jains are very caring over the environment, they wear masks over their faces to prevent inhaling of any small insects and they carry. The holy text of the zoroastrians is the avesta, composed in a language belonging to the early iranaian group of languages and resembling the language of the vedas. The holy book of jainism is a collection of texts known as agam literature or the agam sutras. His status evolved greatly over the succeeding 1500 years, as cultural and political changes swept china, but the canon established then has endured. Drawing on field research in northern gujarat and on the study of both ancient sanskrit and prakrit and modern vernacular jain religious literature, john cort provides a rounded portrait of. Jain tradition holds that mahavira was born in the early part of the 6th century bce into a royal kshatriya jain family in presentday bihar, india. One main jain symbol includes a wheel on the palm of a hand and the other one is a swastika. Instead, jains highlight the spiritual meaning of the word a tirtha is any place that has become holy because of its association with jinas or jain values.
On this day monks and nuns will be invited to give teachings to jains from jain writings. Indian religions, hinduism, jainism, sikhism, christianity, islam. The holy book of jainism is known as the kalpa sutra or sutras. He was the spiritual successor of 23rd tirthankara parshvanatha. The 10th guru, gobind singh, declared that he would have no living successor, and this collection of teachings would become the ultimate guru for the sikh. These texts are collectively known as agams, the sacred books of the jain religion.
Most jains practice the devotional activity called. The tops of hills or mountains are often holy places to jains and therefore frequently pilgrimage destinations. Followers of jainism are called jains, a word derived from the sanskrit word jina victor referring to the path of victory in crossing over lifes stream of rebirths by destroying karma through an ethical and spiritual life. The agam sutras show great reverence for all forms of life and strict codes of vegetarianism, asceticism, nonviolence, and opposition to war. Followers of jainism are called jains, a word derived from the sanskrit word jina, meaning victor. Originally, the religion relied on the teaching of living gurus. It is written in pali which is an olden indian language. It is based on the teachings of jesus christ who lived on the holy land 2000 years ago. History and contemporary information provide evidence of competition and quarrels between the sects over the management of individual sites. The basis of this website is to understand the great ocean of jain aagam scriptures. Jainism, as taught by mahavira, emerged in india about the time of what other great teacher.
1380 301 542 971 1162 1276 127 32 1303 1621 1017 787 49 1090 1013 1196 1120 1640 447 1244 643 1069 1641 1253 387 1344 30 774 1331 446 346 385 516 1420 757