Jainism For All

  Sammed Shikharji is one of the holiest pilgrimage destination for the Jain community. Most people refer this place as Shikharji, ‘the venerable or worshipped peak’. It is located in the Giridih district, in the state of Jharkhand, India. The actual location of Shikharji is on the Parashnath hill which is the highest mountain in the state of Jharkhand. It has a range of hills having an altitude of 1365m of the highest peak and with a prominence of 993m. Shikharji has importance for Jain pilgrimage because it is the place where 20 out of 24 tirthankars attained nirvana. For all of them, the state of emancipation happened through fasting and meditation. These helped them to end all the karmas and attain the stage of moksha wherefrom there will be no rebirth. For each tirthankar, there is a shrine (gumti or tonk) on the hill. The original Jain temples are believed to be constructed by King Bimbisara of Magadh, Bihar during 543-491BC. The temples were restored in 1678AD as written i...

  Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of 24 tirthankars . They are the supreme preachers of Jain dharma or religion. Jain tirthankars appeared in the northern region of India during different time and taught religion to the countrymen for their well-being. All tirthankars teach same philosophy and ethics without contradiction. In chronological order, names, signs (identification mark) and the name of the tree under which they got keval jnan or omniscience  are given below for 24 tirthankars .       Serial       Name                             Emblem           Chaitya Tree        1 st             Rishavnath             ...

  1.      Tirthankar means one who creates pilgrimage from the cycle of birth and death to salvation. Tirthankar is a savior and spiritual teacher of Dharma. The word tirthankar signifies the founder of a tirtha . Tirtha is an institution consists of monks, nuns, shravaks and sharavikas. Those who can attain the stage of Jina (victor) and Kevalin (omniscient) are called Tirthankars . A tirthankar is not an incarnation of God. He is born as a human with ordinary soul. He attains the state of tirthankar as a result of intense practice of penance (punishment on himself), equanimity (a calm state of mind) and meditation. Images of tirthankars are not worshipped as personal gods giving blessing. Rather, Jain believers pay them homage with the faith that the tirthankars may guide them to choose the right path during their presence in this ‘ sansar ’ . They may be filled with a sense of renunciation and the highest values. A regular practice of the virtues in eve...

  1.       What is Ashtamangala ? The Ashtamangala is a sacred suite of eight auspicious signs featured in a number of Indian religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism. These symbols point to qualities of enlightened mind stream of the persons in excellence. The meaning of the word is ashta as eight and mangala as good luck. When placed inside a temple it acts as a blessing for the devotees. In Jainism, t hey are the investiture in the form of ornaments for these enlightened personalities. Many cultural enumerations and variations of the Ashtamangala are extant. One can place it at the main entrance also. Ashtamangala according to Swetambar tradition are: Swastika , Vardhamanaka (food vessel), Matsyayugma (pair of fish), Kalasha (water vessel), Bhadrasana (seat), Srivatsa symbol , Nandyavarta (an elaborated swastika), Darpan (mirror). In the Digambar tradition, the eight symbols are : Parasol (umbrella), Dhwaja (flag), Kalasha, C...

  In the year 1975, the Jain community celebrated the 2500 th anniversary of the nirvana of Lord Mahavir . In this year, it was decided to design a symbol which will be universal for all the Jains. The symbol has three parts: i) a palm with chakra , ii) Aum or Swastika , iii) a crescent with dots. The symbol is covered with an outer line and a phrase in prakrit “Parasparopgraho Jivanam ” written at the bottom of the symbol. The palm is a gesture of support and blessing with a commitment that I am always with you. On the palm is inscribed a chakra with “ ahimsa ” written at the center. The chakra (wheel) drawn on the palm symbolizes sansar (life on this earth) and the 24 spokes represent 24 tirthankars . The word ahimsa shows the gesture of no unpleasant or cruel activity with anybody. The phrase at the bottom “ Parasparopgraho Jivanam ”states that Jiva (life) on earth are interdependent and needs mutual support.   Just above the palm, a swastika is drawn with fou...

            The Namokar mantra mentioned at the beginning of Agam text is the main mantra chanted by every Jain. Namo Arihantanam Namo Siddhanam Namo Ayeriyanam Namo Uojjhayanam Namo Loye Sabbasahunam Translation: Obeisance to the Arihants who are free of worldly passions Obeisance to the liberated souls or Siddha Purush Obeisance to the preceptors or Acharyas Obeisance to the teachers or Upadhyays Obeisance to the monks all over the world Eso Pancha Namokkaro Sabbapawappanasano Mangalanam cha Sabbesi Paraman Hawai Mangalam  Translation: This fivefold obeisance ends all sins and bondages. Among all forms of bliss, Namokar mantra is the number one blissful chant which can purify one’s soul and make it free from all karmic bondages. Obeisance meaning paying respect through physical gesture or attitude of obedience.  Arihant, Siddha, Acharya, Upadhyay and Ascetics or Muni constitute Panch Parmesthi .  ...

1.  What is Jainism? Jainism is a religion of Indian origin. The name Jainism emerged around 2500 years ago by the 24 th tirthankar , Lord Mahavir . The word Jainism is derived from the Sanskrit verb “ Jina ” meaning to conquer. One has to conquer the ascetic battle to attain the status of Jina . Ascetic means not allowing yourself worldly pleasure. One needs to remain free of social bindings and live an extraordinary life of a saint. A person who can relieve his/her soul from different worldly vices and makes the soul free of bondages can become Jina . The vices are lust, anger, greed, infatuation, intoxication and jealousy and the bondages are the outcome of these vices. Only a few most illustrious individuals could attain enlightenment and reached the stage of Jina. The followers of Jina are known as Jain. In India, Jains hold the status of a minority community with more than 5 million people. Outside India, Jains are residing almost in every country all over the world,...

Welcome, fellow seekers of truth and wisdom, to the enlightening world of Jainism! It is with immense joy and gratitude that I invite you to embark on a transformative journey through this blog series, aptly titled "Jainism for All." Together, we will explore the depths of an ancient philosophy and religion that has inspired generations with its profound teachings on character building, ethical conduct, and the pursuit of inner harmony. Lord Mahavir I am Ratna Lalwani, M.Sc., Ph.D. in Physics from Calcutta University, your guide and fellow traveller on this path of discovery. Growing up in a family deeply immersed in Jainism, I have been privileged to witness the transformative power of this age-old tradition first hand. My father, Kastur Chand Lalwani, dedicated his life to translating numerous Jain Agams from Prakrit to English, illuminating the intricate teachings hidden within these ancient texts. My uncle, Ganesh Chand Lalwani, played a pivotal role as the Editor of t...