Jainism: Mahavira's birth and "liberation"

Wisdom Quarterly; Times of India (TOI)

(ruchiskitchen.com)

Prince Vardhamana who became Mahavira was the contemporary of Prince Siddhartha who became the Buddha. He renounced the world, rejected the authority of the brahmin's Vedas, and became a wandering ascetic. He reached what he understood to be "nirvana," not what Buddhism calls nirvana, and established a school of wandering nuns and monks before the Buddha did. But it was the Buddha's message that survived, prospered, and spread outside of India as a universal teaching. Mahavira the Jain, known in Buddhism as Nataputta the Nigantha (possessionless), never gave up the wrong views that asceticism leads to purification of an "eternal soul" (atta) or that liberation (moksha) can mean rebirth in an exalted insensate heavenly state. By contrast, the Buddha taught the "soul" or self is ultimately impersonal and unreal (anatta). Clinging to the illusion that the soul is real or permanent binds one to rebrith. Insight into the truth about the self is necessary to reach enlightenment and nirvana, the final end of suffering that brings about the end of otherwise endless wandering (samsara) in rebirth. What Mahavira referred to as his "nirvana" was, according to the Buddha, only another temporary respite in one of the many heavens, all of which one eventually falls away from (with the exception of the Pure Abodes that are only accessible for rebirth to those who have reached the first three stages of enlightenment but not the fourth stage, full enlightenment). Only insight-wisdom (pañña, prajña) leads to final liberation.

City Celebrates Mahavira Day
TimesofIndia.IndiaTimes.com

LUCKNOW, India - Mahavira Jayanti, the birth and "nirvana" day of the last ford-finder (tirthankara) or "great hero" Mahavira, the founder of Jainism, known in Buddhism as the rival teacher Nigantha Nattaputta, was celebrated with fervor and gaiety in the city on [Maundy] Thursday.

On this auspicious occasion the wealthy Indian Jain community reiterated the message of non-violence (ahimsa), while being accused of funding all manner of violence by engaging in banking and trade.

Mahavira, who was the last ford-finder across the flood of samsara among 24 others, is thought to have been born in 599 BCE.

The Indian sage Vardhamāna (Sanskrit, वर्धमान)

Adeesh Jain, member of SJDPS (Shri Jain Dharma Pravardhani Sabha) in Lucknow says, "Ahimsa or non-hurting anyone in life is the main principle of Jainism.

Even unintentionally stepping on an ant may have serious consequences for the soul, according to Jainism. [The Buddha treated karma differently, clarifying that it was intention that created deeds and brought about corresponding consequences.] It is believed that not only living things, but everything in nature [such as fire, which is also thought to have a "soul" in Jainism] must be treated with respect. We have to be cautious with everything."

Another SJDPS official explains that "Jains believe in the wheel of time. Whatever we do is sure to come back to us. If we do bad deeds, the same will come back to us in one or other form before we die. This is why we support ahimsa."

On Thursday, Jains gathered at Mahavira Park near Chowk, where various customs associated with the reverence of Mahavira were observed. "Our principles have been in existence since long time. The idea of truth and ahimsa has been followed by Jains even before they were made famous by Mahatma Gandhi," said Jain. Source

Jainism lives on in India

Axis of Jainism

Kailash Vajpeyi (Times of India, April 11, 2011)

With the "Great-Hero Festival" (Mahavir Jayanti) around the corner, here are some salient thoughts about the man who founded Jainism, Vardhaman Mahashraman Mahavira (personal name Vardhaman, description Mahashraman "Great Wandering-Ascetic," title Mahavira "Great Hero").

Prince Vardhaman could recall each detail of his previous births. He was a blessed child. He soon left his family and dedicated his life to meditation [as a wandering ascetic and contemporary of the Buddha]. His philosophical principles are such that they can bring happiness and peace to anyone who assimilates their essence and follows them. His long years of penance [severe asceticism] were so hard that it is a miracle he survived them. And because of this, he came to be known as Maha-shraman (the Great Wandering Ascetic) Mahavira.

Evolution of a philosophy: He conquered sleep and hunger and had no need of spoken words. Twelve years later his communication flowered into spoken words. He observed for the first time that nothing was static [but was impermanent]. We are all forever on the move; we are nothing but flow and flux. Each child, however loved or cherished, will inevitably and surely perish one day. More

Mahavira's 2609th Birth Anniversary

Himalayan News Service & Wisdom Quarterly
KATHMANDU - Jains in Nepal celebrated the 2609th birth anniversary (Jayanti) of Mahavira, a contemporary of the Buddha who founded a rival dharma now known as Jainism. Like Buddhism, Jainism was a radical independence movement from established Vedic Brahmanism, a sedentary religion of temple priests involved in elaborate rituals. There were other Indian dharmas. But Jainism is exemplary and was the only other protest to survive down to the present day.

(Illustrated History of Buddhism)

It is characterized by non-violence, extreme asceticism, and pacifism. It is also thought to be the first tradition to include women, preceding Buddhism (which is considered the first world religion to do so). Jainism is small and limited almost exclusively to India. Buddhist texts refer to Mahavira (a title that means "Great Hero") as the Nigantha (those without possessions) Nataputta (son of Nata).

Yoga Guru Swami Ram Dev, the chief guest, said that the teachings of Mahavira were guides for life, peace, and non-violence. Vice President Paramanand Jha, special guest in the program, said that Nepal-born Buddha and India-born Mahavira were the towers of undefeatable principles of peace and non-violence. More>>

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Ahimsa (Jain sutras by Nithyananda)

(LifeBlissFoundation) From the works of the realized master Paramahamsa Nithyananda, this talk describes how ahimsa (nonviolence) is the supreme religion. Establishing oneself in nonviolence is a foundation to establish oneself in truth. Using powerful examples, Nithyananda explores the Jain sutras in a lecture delivered in Los Angeles.

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Beyond Desire (Jain sutras by Nithyananda)

(LifeBlissFoundation) In this talk on the Jain sutras, Swami Nithyananda discusses how we bind ourselves with insecurity and desires. Non-possessiveness (aparigraha) is the antidote. When asked to deeply analyze the situation, we see that we cannot enjoy things when we're bound to hold onto them. Non-possessiveness is always discussed after non-violence because only one established in non-violence is able to liberate oneself from possessions. Dropping desires is foolishness, according to Nithyananda, because increasing one's inner space to accommodate them is the real trick.

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You are Consciousness

Paramahamsa Nithyananda is a reputedly enlightened yoga master. In this talk he describes how the outer world is inside the inner. This merging can happen only when one is able to witness and, above all, simply "unclutch" from attachment to body and mind. Until then, one creates a boundary between oneself and the world. Hence one is separated from the whole. Unclutching and witnessing oneself as part of the whole...nothing but consciousness. This talk is from a series of commentaries on the Jain sutras, given in Los Angeles in March 2007.