JAINISM

The changes in social set up and economy resulted in

the rise of new religions in the sixth century B.C. Among them one of the
important religions was Jainism. Jainism claims a back dated history to its origin.
A Jain tradition mention about twenty four thirthankaras .Rishabaveda was the first
thirthankara .No authentic information is available about the first twenty two
thirthankaras. Paswanath the twenty third thirthankara is considered as a historical
figure. Parswanath was the son of Asvasena, the ruler of Benares. Mahavira was
the twenty fourth and the last thirthankara.
The jain ideas were propounded by parswanatha to whom the
four fundamental principles of Jainism are ascribed. They are:
taking no life (ahimsa)
taking no property from others
no property of ones own and truthfulness.

Vardhamana mahavira was born at Kundalagrama in the suburb of

Vaisali about 540 B.C. He belonged to Janthri Kshatriya clan. His father
Siddhartha was a wealthy noble and his mother Thrisala was a Lichchhavi princes
of Vaisali. He was married to Yasoda.At the age of thirty he left home and
wandered for twelve years and became an ascetic. By observing severest penances
and

constant

meditation

he

attained

kaivalya

(the

ultimate

state

of

knowledge)under a sala tree on the banks of the river Rijupalika near the village of
Jrimbhikagrama.Then he came to the known as Mahavira and also as Jaina
(conqueror of passions). Mahavira spent the remaining years of his life in
preaching and propagating his doctrines. He travelled in various places and visited
Kosala, Magadha, Midhila .Champa etc. He met Bimbisara and Ajathasatru, rulers
of Magadha . Mahavira died at the age of seventy two at Pava near Rajagriha.

DOCTRINES OF JAINISM
Jainism propounded five doctrines. They are:
(1) Vedic rituals are useless
(2) God is a myth and therefore there is no need for worship and prayer.
(3) Karma is the cause of birth, death.sorrow and suffering.
(4) By observing the Triratnas Karma can be made pure.
(5) Salvation can be obtained also by observing asceticism and death by
slow starvation.

SPREAD OF JAINISM

Mahavira organized an order of this follower to spread the teachings of Jainism.

He gathered around him a number of followers to propagate his teachings. Jainism
in

the

early

phase

was

confined

to

kosala

Magadha.

Videha

and

angha.Subsequently it spread to Malwa, kalinga Mathura and some parts of India .

After the death of mahavira, Aryasudharman became the head of jains and
there after Jainism had two heads. They were Bhadrabahu and Sambhutavijaya.
The followers of Bhadrabahu came to be known as Digambaras (sky clad) and
those of sthulabhadra Swetambaras (white clad).

JAIN LITERATURE
The Jain literature contains religious and non religious works.
The sacred book of jains is known as Agamasiddhanta. The original texts are
called purvas and are fourteen in number.

DECLINE OF JAINISM

The decline of Jainism was due to a number of factors. They are:

(1)The split of Jainism into two sects.
(2)The absence of able leadership after Mahavira.
(3)The lack of royal patronage in the later phase.
(4)Assimilation of Jain principles by Hinduism.
(5)The lack of an efficient missionary organization to spread the
religion.

IMPACT OF JAINISM
The rise of Jainism was a reaction against the evils of the varna
system.
Jainism enriched art and architecture.
The jains built cave Temples, cut out of rocks.