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Mahavira
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- Reformed by Mahavira in ancient times, Jainism is a relatively small religion, with approximately 5.6 million adherents (all but about 275,000 of whom live in India).
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- Overview
- Early history (7th century bce–c. 5th century ce)
Jainism, Indian religion teaching a path to spiritual purity and enlightenment through disciplined nonviolence (ahimsa, literally “non-injury”) to all living creatures.
Scholars of religion generally hold that Jainism originated in the 7th–5th century bce in the Ganges basin of eastern India, the scene of intense religious speculation and activity at that time. Buddhism also appeared in this region, as did other belief systems that renounced the world and opposed the ritualistic Brahmanic schools whose prestige derived from their claim of purity and their ability to perform the traditional rituals and sacrifices and to interpret their meaning. These new religious perspectives promoted asceticism, the abandonment of ritual, domestic and social action, and the attainment of spiritual illumination in an attempt to win, through one’s own efforts, freedom from repeated rebirth (samsara).
Jains believe that their tradition does not have a historical founder. The first Jain figure for whom there is reasonable historical evidence is Parshvanatha (or Parshva), a renunciant teacher who may have lived in the 7th century bce and founded a community based upon the abandonment of worldly concerns. Jain tradition regards him as the 23rd Tirthankara (literally, “Ford Maker”; i.e., one who leads the way across the stream of rebirths to salvation) of the current age (kalpa). The 24th and last Tirthankara of that age was Vardhamana, who is known by the epithet Mahavira (“Great Hero”) and is believed to have been the last teacher of “right” knowledge, faith, and practice. Although traditionally dated to 599–527 bce, Mahavira must be regarded as a close contemporary of the Buddha (traditionally believed to have lived in 563–483 bce but who probably flourished about a century later). The legendary accounts of Mahavira’s life preserved by the Jain scriptures provide the basis for his biography and enable some conclusions to be formulated about the nature of the early community he founded.
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Mahavira, like the Buddha, was the son of a chieftain of the Kshatriya (warrior) class. At age 30 he renounced his princely status to take up the ascetic life. Although he was accompanied for a time by the eventual founder of the Ajivika sect, Goshala Maskariputra, Mahavira spent the next 121/2 years following a path of solitary and intense asceticism. He then converted 11 disciples (called ganadharas), all of whom were originally Brahmans. Two of these disciples, Indrabhuti Gautama and Sudharman, both of whom survived Mahavira, are regarded as the founders of the historical Jain monastic community, and a third, Jambu, is believed to be the last person of the current age to gain enlightenment. Mahavira is believed to have died at Pavapuri, near modern Patna.
The community appears to have grown quickly. According to Jain tradition, it numbered 14,000 monks and 36,000 nuns at the time of Mahavira’s death. From the beginning the community was subject to schisms over technicalities of doctrine; however, these were easily resolved. The only schism to have a lasting effect concerned a dispute over proper monastic practice, with the Shvetambara (“White-Robed”) sect arguing that monks and nuns should wear white robes and the Digambara (“Sky-Clad”; i.e., naked) sect claiming that a true monk (but not a nun) should be naked. This controversy gave rise to a further dispute as to whether or not a soul can attain liberation (moksha) from a female body (a possibility the Digambaras deny).
Jainism (/ ˈ dʒ eɪ n ɪ z əm / JAY-niz-əm), also known as Jain Dharma, [1] is an Indian religion.
Sep 10, 2009 · Jainism was revived in the 19th century by a number of Svetambara reformers, most notably Atmaramji (1837-96). In the 20th century the Digambara movement was revitalised through the work of...
Sep 23, 2024 · Mahavira was the last of the 24 Tirthankaras (“Ford-makers,” i.e., saviours who promulgated Jainism), and the reformer of the Jain monastic community. According to the traditions of the two main Jain sects, the Shvetambara (“White-robed”) and the Digambara (“Sky-clad,” i.e., naked), Mahavira became.
- Umakant Premanand Shah
Oct 7, 2011 · Socio-religious reforms. As regards religious practices we find that leaders of different sects among the Jains launched several reform movements pertaining to the social dimension of religious matters.
The last Teertankara was Lord Mahavir who reformed Jainism to a large extent. T his religion is an independent one and is revealed to have been in existence in every cyclic period of the universe. Jain Prophets, also known as 'Teerthankaras' spread the teachings of Jainism and Lord Mahavir was the last of the 24 Teerthankaras who existed in India.
