Religion and Education

Jainism
Gift Siromoney, in New 20th Century Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, Second Edition, 1991 Ed.D.Douglas, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.A. p.450
Jainism. Ancient Indian religion with 3.2 million adherents (1981) living mostly in the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan and Karnataka. Jainism recognizes 24 Tirthankaras or leaders; the 24th Tirthankara, Mahavira, was an older contemporary of Gautama Buddha. Even though Jainism existed before the time of Mahavira, he was the one who made it a strong religious movement during the 6th century B.C.

The Jainist concept of ahimsa (noninjury) opposes any killing of animals -- even insects. It began as a protest movement against the mass sacrifice of animals practiced by the ancient Hindus. Contemporary Vedic Hindus no longer follow the custom of sacrificing birds and animals, and even in popular Hinduism the incidence of animal sacrifice has declined; it is in fact prohibited by law in India. Since ahimsa is a fundamental precept of Jainism, Jains do not consume meat and laypersons prefer professions where they can practice ahimsa. Money lending and trading are preferred professions.

There are many features that distinguish Jainism from Vedic Hinduism. Jainism rejects the authority of the Vedas, disapproves of bloody sacrifices, prescribes ascetism, allows women to become nuns and allows nudity of monks. Jains do worship Hindu gods, mostly on festive occasions. Jainism is classified along with Buddhism as a heterodox religion as opposed to Hinduism which is an orthodox religion. Jainism does not maintain that death is the end of life and that nothing exists after death. It believes in the doctrine of karma and in the transmigration of souls as does orthodox Hinduism..

The Jain community is divided into two main sects -- the Svetambaras and the Digambaras -- and each is divided in turn into many sub sects. The Digambara monks have practiced nudity from the days of Mahavira, and the images of Jain saints are shown in the nude, either standing or seated.

Jain monks once lived in caverns around Madurai, the capital of the ancient Pandya kingdom and they have left the earliest known inscriptions in the Tamil-Brahmi script. The Jains made valuable literary contributions to Tamil and Telugu. Ethical works such as Naladiyar, poetic works such as Jivakacintamani and grammatical works such as Nannul and Neminatharn represent some of their contributions to Tamil literature. Cave painting, illustrated manuscripts, carvings of Tirthankaras and Gomateswara are examples of their contribution to Indian art.

In South India, the Jains suffered religious persecution during the 8th and 9th centuries and again during the12th century which led to a great reduction in their numbers. Discarded statues of seated Tirthankaras are now worshipped as Muniswara or holy men by simple village folk.

Even though the Jains form less than half a percent of the Indian population, they play an important role as financiers, educators and entrepreneurs.

Bibliography. S.Stevenson, The Heart of Jainism, (1915); M.S.Ramaswami Ayyangar and B.Seshagiri Rao, Studies in South Indian Jainism, (1922); K.K.Dixit, Jaina Ontology, (1971); N. R. Gusev, Jainism, (1971); R.S.Gupte, Iconography of the Hindus, Buddhists and Jains, (1972); S.Gopalan, Outlines of Jainism, (1975).