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the_expansion_of_jainism_in_india.pptmThe Expansion of Jainism in India and America
By: Jay Shah
What is Jainism?
Jainism is an ancient religion from India that teaches that the way to liberation and bliss is to live lives of harmlessness and renunciation.
Three main principles
Ones who practice Jainism believe that all living things, whether they are animals or plants, have souls and should be treated equally (Ahimsa
The basis of living is based on a reincarnation cycle until a revelation about life is achieved
Principle 1
The basic principle of Jainism is to look out for every living thing, no matter what species, and to keep the overall universe in proper health.
Living things are divided into 5 categories, based on the 5 senses
An organism with 1 sense(bacteria) is one category and one with 5 senses(humans) is in another
Principle 2
Jains believe that they are reincarnated into different forms of life on an infinite cycle until all bad karmas are wiped away.
Reincarnation is when the body/vessel of the soul dies and moves into the next body
In Jainism, the soul will go through a cycle of reincarnation until all of the bad karmas that the soul has committed have been overcome
Ex: Jainism is extremely strict where even walking on grass and killing insect is considered bad karma
Types of karma: Mohinya, Jnana, Darasna-varaniya, Antaraya, etc.
Principle 3
There is no god there to help human beings from prayers, but there are people who will guide Jains on the right path to fulfill liberation
There is a concept of God, but God is not the creator or destroyer of worlds or living things
God is seen as a being that is a perfect, so someone who does not have bad karmas (Anyone can hypothetically become God)
The number of Jain god is always increasing, but are not known until thousands of years after the Gods are living on the Earth
Mahavir Swami: One being that is considered a god
Expansion of Jainism in 8th Century B.C.
Jainism is an ancient religion, dating it back to when it started is unknown, but Jainism is taught in this day through the teachings of Mahavir Swami, which dates back to the 6th century B.C.
Mahivir Swami was born in 599 B.C. as a prince of Bihar, India
He left is lavish lifestyle to become a Jain monk when he realized perfect perception, knowledge, power, and bliss
He travelled around the country by foot to teach the principles of Jainism
Since he is seen as a the last known “God” of this era, his teaching are the basis of modern Jainism
How has Jainism expanded throughout the country?
The traveling of monks across the country led to the creation of various Jain temples around the country
Jain monks practice the simplest lifestyle, so they travel bare foot around the country with only the clothes on their back
They spread the religion by word of mouth and if enough devotees are in a community, then a temple is erected
This is still practiced heavily in India
Expansion of Jainism in America
The expansion of Jainism in America has seen a lot of prosperity. Over 20 states have established Jain centers.
The religion in the US has evolved in such a way where it is not spread through word of mouth, but uses new advances in technology, like social media, to spread awareness
Due to the younger generation, which will be discussed later.
Jain Center of New Jersey
Optional Videos: Building of NJ Temple
https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=6O01vs2xqpc
https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMMCZGicbf8
Young Jains of America
YJA is an organization that puts emphasis on Jainism for the Jain youth of the country
YJA connect more than 10,000 Jain youth throughout the country under one umbrella with various events, which shows how the religion has evolved in this country
Jainism and the “green” movement
The “green” movement is social and environmental movement that promotes the welfare of the planet
Examples: Veganism (no consuming animal products because it is detrimental to them) and recycling
Jainism has always promoted ideals that looks out for other people/species, as well as, the well-being of the planet
This has caused much exposure to the religion, which, in turn, lead to more people converting.
References
Long, Jeffery D.. Jainism. London, GBR: I.B. Tauris, 2009. ProQuest ebrary. Web. 3 December 2015.
Jain, A. R. (1998). Kumarapala chalukya (r. 1143-1174) of gujarat, india: A convert to jainism in historical perspective
Johnson, W. J. "Jainism." A Dictionary of Hinduism. : Oxford University Press, 2009. Oxford Reference. 2009.
