Principles of Jainism

India comprises specific religions and cultures that relate to different teaching and beliefs. Specific people follow the religions and set traditions according to the religious teachings and beliefs. Jainism is one of the ancient religions followed by people widely in India and across the globe. Teachings of Jainism specifically contradict certain instances of Hinduism and Buddhism. The origin of Jainism is considered with the rise of Buddhism in India, and the Jainism founder is considered the contemporary entity of Buddha. People believing in the Jain Dharma aim to achieve Nirvana by following all the teachings and principles of Jainism. 

Jainism: Introduction

According to Indian history, Mahavira was considered the last Tirthankara and Jainism founder of Jain dharma. In certain sacred manuscripts and scriptures, the Jainism founder was Vardhaman Jnantipura or Mahavira (599-527 BC). He was referred to as the Jina by the Jain dharma followers. In Jain Dharma, all the principles and teachings which Jina mentions are the follower’s practices. Specifically, some Tirthankaras motivate people to practice the Jain dharma principles. All the teaching relates to self-evolution and self-assessment to attain salvation or Nirvana to define what is Jainism. 

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Role of Jina:

Jina of the Jain dharma belonged to the royal Kshatriya families, which deprived their luxuries and relations to achieve complete enlightenment. There are certain stages of Jina’s life to attain salvation. The primary stage is to confront specific challenges that grasp the complete enlightenment and eliminate all the desires and habits. It is the most complex stage of Jina’s life. 

Passing this stage, Jina can now grasp eternal knowledge and practice all the teachings and principles of Jainism. Following the tradition, Jina achieving the second stage is capable of hearing followers’ confusion and issues and leading them towards the path of Nirvana. It is the stage to teach the doctrine principles to the followers and mention the principles of Jainism and its significant features.  

Jina passes the sacred sound for the monks, followers, and disciples to follow and practice the sayings. When Jina achieves perfection, he leaves the body and attains the desired liberation from the life and death cycle. In Jainism, two sects, Svetambara and Digambar, attain different Jainism principles relating to Jina Mahavira. The common fact mentioned in both sects is that Mahavira, the Jainism founder, lived 72 years of life till his salvation. He lived 30 years as the prince and 42 as a Jain ascetic. 

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Principles of Jainism:

There are specific principles of Jainism which mention many of the teachings and actions connecting to liberation and salvation. All the principles relate to specify the facts and clear the confusion of what is Jainism. Let us discuss some of the basic principles of Jainism, which mention the path to Nirvana and eternal salvation:

• Ahimsa (Non-violence): Ahimsa is the basic principle of Jainism mentioned by the Jainism founder. According to the teachings in Jainism, all the living creatures, including humans, insects, animals, plants, rocks etc., possess equal lives. Jainism empowers the non-hate, non-harm, and non-hurt principle for all the living beings on earth. 
• Satya (Truthfulness): In the Jainism principles, their complete unique overview of Satya or truthfulness. It does not limit itself to speaking the truth, but Satya relates to choosing the right and eliminating wrong on the broader platform. It also relates to choosing the permanent eternity in a place of temporary eternity. 
• Acharya (Non-stealing): In Jainism, non-stealing does not relate to it catching the other things but attaining a spiritual meaning to eliminate the feeling of me, mine, and myself. It empowers the self-intellect to carry the pure consciousness of the mind and consider the body just like an instrument of life. 
• Aparigraha (non-possessiveness): According to Jainism founder Aparigraha relates the non-possessiveness to materialistic and non-materialistic elements of nature. The aparigraha mentions the detachment to the thoughts, things, and people. This state is mentioned as the self-awakened and mind-intellect state of mind to detach the feelings from specific elements of nature and practice the non-possessive state of mind. 
• Celibacy- A total absence of sensual pleasures of all senses including any desires or pleasures.

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Conclusion:

So, here are the salient details about the principles of Jainism quoted by the Jainism founder. The Jainism principles relate to self-evolving and improving by following all Jain dharma’s teachings and fundamentals. The Jain dharma is the third-largest dharma followed by Indian citizens with complete teaching and principles. The non-violence and non-possessiveness principles are also appreciated and adopted by the preachers of other dharmas. Though, Jain dharma attains two distinct sects with some differences in religious practices. But the principles and teachings are pretty similar to moving forward on the path to achieving Nirvana.