Consider the following statements: Vardhaman Mahavira founded Jain...
Explanation:
Statement 1: Vardhaman Mahavira founded Jainism in the sixth century BCE.
Statement 2: According to Jainism, one could free oneself from the cycle of karma only by renouncing the world.
Explanation of Statement 1:
Jainism was indeed founded by Vardhaman Mahavira in the sixth century BCE. Mahavira was born in 599 BCE in present-day Bihar, India. He was the twenty-fourth and last Tirthankara (spiritual teacher) of Jainism. He was born into a noble family but renounced his wealth and status at the age of 30 to pursue a life of spiritual awakening. He spent the next 12 years practicing extreme asceticism and meditation before attaining enlightenment and becoming a Tirthankara. Mahavira preached a path of non-violence, truthfulness, and asceticism, which became the core principles of Jainism.
Explanation of Statement 2:
According to Jainism, the ultimate goal of life is to attain liberation from the cycle of birth and death, known as moksha. To achieve this liberation, Jains believe in the concept of karma and its effect on the soul. Karma is the accumulation of actions and their consequences that bind the soul to the cycle of birth and death.
In Jainism, it is believed that one can free oneself from the cycle of karma only by renouncing the world and leading an ascetic life. This is because worldly attachments and desires are seen as the root causes of karma. By renouncing worldly possessions, desires, and attachments, one can minimize the accumulation of karma and eventually attain liberation. Renunciation is seen as a means to purify the soul and detach oneself from materialistic pursuits.
Hence, both statements are correct. Vardhaman Mahavira did indeed found Jainism in the sixth century BCE, and according to Jainism, one can only free oneself from the cycle of karma by renouncing the world.