Questions
Jainism
Page numbers
in italics refer to
Fisher, Living Religions, 7th ed.
The page numbers in regular print refer to the 6th edition.
The page
numbers in parentheses refer to the 5th edition of Fisher.
ETHICAL
1. What are
the basic myths or
origin stories (cosmogony) associated with the religion?
121.5-121.9 116.29-117.4 (129.1-6):
long cycles; no beginning and no end of the world.
121.5 “In Jain cosmology, the
universe is without beginning or end.” 123.10-11 (135.20) “Jains
believe that the universe is without beginning and that it has no
creator or
destroyer.”
2. What
virtues does the religion
advocate?
(See Institutional Question 27 below)
3. Does the
religion prescribe a way
to enlightenment or salvation? If so, what does it call this state?
124.9 The state of highest perfection
in Jainism, in which “the liberated being has ‘boundless
vision, infinite righteousness, strength, perfect bliss, existence
without
form, and a body that is neither light nor heavy.’”
123.23 (136.12) kevala
is “the supremely perfect state in Jainism,” a state of
liberation.
128.19-30
Twelve
major vows are taken by Jain lay people. The first five are the moswt important: nonviolence, truthfulness, not
taking
anything that has not been given, renouncing any sexual activity
outside of
marriage, and limiting one’s possessions. 123.26-30 (136.15) and six
duties of
lay householders
4. Does the
religion hold that
everyone or only some people can attain enlightenment or
salvation?
121.1 116.25
Jains
come from all castes.
122.24 534
118.16
510 A Jina has
attained enlightenment. In Jainism, a Jina
is “one
who has realized the highest, omniscient aspect of his or her being and
is
therefore perfect.”
123.19-22
(136.8-11) gunasthana—for householder,
fourteen
stages of ascent of the soul
5. Does the
religion hold that
clerics belong to a higher moral or spiritual order than lay
people?
See Question 4 above (Jina) and Political
Question 11
below.
127.20 122.3 (134.15) “no feeling of
greater or lesser, etc.”
127.23-24
122.10
(134.20) “must learn to…feel no pride
at being
more spiritually advanced than others.”
6. What
impact has the religion had
on the way of life of its followers? On the
surrounding
culture?
POLITICAL:
7. What are
the major political
divisions of the religion? (In Christianity, for example, major
divisions would
be Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglicanism and Protestantism.)
121.18 532
117.20
509
Digambaras (“a highly ascetic order
of Jain
monks who wear no clothes”) and
121.15 117.18-19 (129.20) Digambaras
are followers of Bhadrabahu
(3rd Century BCE)
121.17
538 117.21
514 Svetambaras (“Jain
order of monks who are less ascetic than the Digambaras”)
8. Does the
religion have a central
authority that determines orthodox beliefs?
9. Has the
religion at any point in
its history accepted the status of an official state religion?
10. Does the
religion accept a just
war or does it advocate non-violence?
See Question 27 Institutional—Ahimsa
11. Does the
religion accept
spiritual leaders--such as ordained clergy, shamans, and the like?
125.1-2 There is no great emphasis on priesthood in Jainism, since
there can be
no divine intervention.
12. Does the
religion take a
position on class division in society?
121.2 116.26 (128.28) Jainism “does
not officially acknowledge the caste system.”
13. What is
the role of women in the
religion? Has the role changed over the years?
121.23-122.15 117-118 (129.25-30) Digambaras
vs. Svetambaras
(130.1-10), who accept women as nuns: “no other native religion
provides a
monastic option for women.”
121.23-30 118.1-7 Both Digambaras
and Svetambaras regard
women as subordinate. Digambaras hold that
women must
be reborn in a man’s body to attain liberation.
14. Does the
religion permit a
married clergy?
127.21 122.5 The
monks and nuns are celibate.
15. Has the
religion increased or
decreased in numbers during the past century?
131.23 125.12
Today there are six million Jains.
16. Does the
religion advocate
social engagement or personal salvation? If both, which receives the
greater
emphasis?
124.9 123.23 Kevala
as liberation is one goal.
129.13 124.8 Philanthropic or charitable
works and, on 126.18 120.29,
protection of the environment through the practice of aparigraha
is another goal.
122.26 118.20-24 (131.1-3) The Jain
notion of karma is similar in one respect to the same notion in
Hinduism: our
actions have effects in the world
In another
respect, karma in Jainism differs from the notion in Hinduism: Jains regard karma as “dust”—material we
accumulate as we
act and think. Jains try to avoid
accumulating karma.
125.16
120.5
(132.7-8) Jains work on jobs considered
harmless to the environment:
banking, clerical occupations, education, law and publishing
METAPHYSICAL
17. Does the
religion accept a
belief in a soul, spirit, or the like?
the soul can save itself by discovering its
own
perfect nature
122.29-30
123.12
(135.23) “Our lives are…the results of our own deeds; only by our own
efforts
can we be saved.”
18. Does the
religion hold there is
one God (monotheism), many gods (polytheism), or no god (nontheism)?
123.5-6
123.15-16
(135.27-28) belief in gods and demons, but the gods are subject to the
same
ignoble passions as are humans.
123.1-2
123.13-14
(135.22-24): Agrawal quote: no heavenly
father
19. What
evidence or proof is
offered in support of the existence of God?
20. Does the
religion hold that God
is something to strive for?
118.18-20
(130.25)
We strive to free ourselves from samsara,
the wheel of birth and death and life’s ups and downs.
21. Is faith
or reason given greater
emphasis in the religion?
22. What
position does the religion
take on the question of belief in an afterlife or immortality--such as
heaven,
hell, and reincarnation?
122.20 118.19 (130.24) The
process of the soul saving itself may take many
incarnations.
23. Does the
religion accept that
the ultimate reality is (or could be) female?
Although Jains do not claim knowledge of the ultimate
reality, they
accept that the 19th Tirthankara
(great
legendary teachers) was a female.
INSTITUTIONAL
24. Does the
religion regard a
particular locale (land, city, and so forth) as holy or sacred?
123 124 (137) (box)
story of Bahubali. Bharat: “This
soil is
universal, not yours or mine.”
25. Does the
religion have special
places or locations for worship?
131.15 136.23 Pilgrimage sites and
26. What are
the religion's major
holy days or festivals?
129, 131 http://www.hindustanlink.com/festivals/jain_festival.htm
27. What are
the basic doctrines of
the religion?
537
513 Samsara is “the continual round of birth, death,
and
rebirth in Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism”
124-125
119-120
(131-132)
Ahimsa is “non-violence, a central Jain principle”
126-127
120-121
(132-133) Aparigraha is “the Jain
principle of non-acquisitiveness”
127
121-122 (134)
Anekantwad is “the Jain principle of
relativity or
open-mindedness”
127.10-15
121.20-27
Many points of view: blind persons regard an
elephant
as tree branch, pillar, fan, rope, wall.
28. What are
some of the major
symbols associated with the religion?
119 (upper right hand margin)
29. What are
the major texts or
sacred documents?
Non-Vedic; canon of 45 books among Svetambaras
30. What
attitude does the religion
advocate toward other religions? Is it exclusivist or universalist?
132.4 125.20 (139.21) (in Kumar
quote) Everyone who follows Jain principles
is a Jain.
31. What is
the nature of the
service, ceremonies, or worship (format, participation of
congregation)?
32. Who is
regarded as the founder
of the religion?
No founder, but 120-121 116-117
(128-129) the 24 Tirthankaras (“the great
enlightened
teachers in Jainism, of whom Mahavira—a
contemporary
of the Buddha in the 6th century BCE—was the last in the
present
cosmic cycle”) create religion in times of social disorder at the end
of each
cosmic cycle.
123 box (129.8-12)
Lord Rishaba, the first Tirthankara
129.15 124.14
(136.25) not available as
helpers but are models for one’s own life.
33. Does the
religion actively seek
converts through missionary activity?
132.1 125.22
(139.20-23) No. Kumar’s statement.
132.8 125.23-24
In very recent times
(during the final decades of the 20th century), samans
(semi-monks) and samanis (semi-nuns) have
begun to
travel abroad and spread Jain principles.
EXPERIENTIAL:
34. What is
the religion’s position
on prayer, meditation, exorcism, chants and dance?
124.1 (136.15) fasting for days
35. What are
some individual
practices—such as confession?
126 (box) 121 (133.15-30) (box) Samayika
(a purification ritual) is practiced both by lay
people and ascetics.
36. What are
the religion’s
attitudes toward healing and health—such as laying
on
of hands, “faith healing,” and the like?
123.29-124.4
Physical and mental health are maintained by diet and fasting.
(136.9) “Jains attempt to plumb the depths of their
negative
tendencies in order to free themselves from emotional problems.”
37. What is
the place of prophecy
and oracles in the religion?
39. What is
the religion’s position
on sacrifice?
127.3-7 121.16-20 (133.10-14)
Self-denial helps to preserve the environment.
132.10 125.23-27 (139.25-30)
“small vows”
40. How does
the religion
incorporate the “cards down” point of view—from the Rawls Game? Who can
turn
the cards down? Who or what is represented when the cards are face
down? What
does it mean in this religion to turn the cards down? When should the
cards be
turned down? Why should the cards be turned down? How does the religion
respond
to failure to abide by the rules created with the cards down.
As in other
indigenous religions, the least well off are taken into account with
the cards
down; the least well off includes other animals as well as humans.
41. What is
the concept or concepts
of forgiveness in the religion and what roles does the concept play?
126 (box) 121 (box)
forgiveness is included in the practice of samayika:
“I ask forgiveness of all beings/ may all beings forgive me.”