Origin and Spread of Jainism | SSC CGL Tier 2 - Study Material, Online Tests, Previous Year PDF Download

≫ Origin of Jainism

• Jainism is a very ancient religion. As per some traditions, it is as old as the Vedic religion.
• The Jain tradition has a succession of great teachers or Tirthankaras.
• There were 24 Tirthankaras the last of which was Vardhaman Mahavira.
• The first Tirthankara is believed to be Rishabhanath or Rishabhadev.
• The 23rd Tirthankara was Parshvanatha who was born in Varanasi. He may have lived in the 8th or 7th century BC.
• All the Tirthankaras were Kshatriyas by birth.

≫ Founder of Jainism – Vardhaman Mahavira (539- 467 B.C.)

• Considered the last Tirthankara.
• He was born at Kundagrama near Vaisali.
• His parents were Kshatriyas. Father – Siddhartha (Head of Jnatrika Clan); Mother – Trishala (Sister of Lichchhavi chief Chetaka). (Chetaka’s daughter married Haryanka King Bimbisara).
• He was married to Yasoda and had a daughter Anojja or Priyadarsana.
• At the age of 30, Vardhaman renounced his home and became a wandering ascetic.
• He also observed self-mortification.
• After 13 years of penance, he attained the highest spiritual knowledge called Kevala Jnan. He attained this at Jimbhikagrama village under a sal tree aged 42. This is called Kaivalya. Thereafter, he was called Mahavira, Jina, Jitendriya (one who conquered his senses), Nigrantha (free from all bonds), and Kevalin.
• He preached his teachings for 30 years and died at Pava (near Rajagriha) aged 72.

≫ Causes of the rise of Jainism

• Vedic religion had become highly ritualistic.
• Jainism was taught in Pali and Prakrit thus was more accessible to the common man as compared to Sanskrit.
• It was accessible to people of all castes.
• Varna system had rigidified and people of the lower castes led miserable lives. Jainism offered them an honourable place.
• About 200 years after the death of Mahavira, a great famine in the Ganga valley prompted Chandragupta Maurya and Bhadrabahu (last Acharya of the undivided Jain sangha) to migrate to Karnataka. Jainism spread to Southern India after that.

≫ Teachings of Jainism

• Mahavira rejected Vedic principles.
• He did not believe in God’s existence. According to him, the universe is a product of the natural phenomenon of cause and effect.
• He believed in Karma and transmigration of the soul. The body dies but the soul does not.
• One will be punished or rewarded as per one’s karma.
• Advocated a life of austerity and non-violence.
• Stressed on equality but did not reject the caste system, unlike Buddhism. But he also said that man may be ‘good’ or ‘bad’ as per his actions and not birth.
• Asceticism was taken to a great length. Starvation, nudity, and self-mortification were expounded.
• Two elements of the world: Jiva (conscious) and Atma (unconscious):
  (1) Right faith
  (2) Right knowledge
  (3) Right conduct (observance of five vows)
  (i) Ahimsa (non-violence)Satya (truth)
  (ii) Asteya (no stealing)
  (iii) Parigraha (no acquiring property)
  (iv) Brahmacharya (abstinence)

≫ Split in Jainism

• When Bhadrabahu left for South India, Sthulabahu remained in the North with his followers.
• Sthulabahu changed the code of conduct and said that white clothes could be worn. Thus, split Jainism into two sects:
  (1) Swetambaras: White-clad; Northerners
  (2) Digambaras: Sky-clad (naked); Southerners

≫ Jainism – Jain Councils
(i) First council

• Held at Pataliputra in the 3rd century BC.
• Presided by Sthulabahu.

(ii) Second Council

• Held at Vallabhi in Gujarat in 512 CE.
• Presided by Devardhigani.
• 12 Angas was compiled here.

≫ Royal patrons of Jainism
(i) South India

• Kadamba dynasty
• Ganga dynasty
• Amoghavarsha
• Kumarapala (Chalukya dynasty)

(ii) North India

• Bimbisara
• Ajatasatru
• Chandragupta Maurya
• Bindusara
• Harshavardhana
• Ama
• Bindusara
• Kharavela

≫ Other Facts about Jainism relevant for UPSC
There a few important details about Jainism that aspirants should know for the UPSC Prelims examination:

• The doctrine of Jaina is older than the Buddhist doctrine
• Buddha and Mahavira were contemporaries
• The word ‘Jaina’ has meaning. It means the follower of ‘Jina,’ which means ‘Victor’ (Someone who has attained infinite knowledge and who teaches others how to attain moksha.)
• The other name to ‘Jina’ is ‘Tirthankara,’ which means ford builder.
• There is a Jaina conception of time which is divided into six stages called Kalas.
• The 22nd Tirthankara Neminatha is said to have belonged to the Saurashtra region of Gujarat.
• The 23rd Tirthankara Parshvanath lived in Benaras
• All Tirthankaras are supposed to have taught the same doctrine.
• A Jina is said to possess ‘Avadhijnana,’ (Superhuman cognition or psychic power.)
• Jaina doctrine insists that:
  (1) Reality is Anekanta (Manifold)
  (2) Sat (Being) has three aspects – Substance (Dravya), Quality (Guna), and Mode (Paryaya.)
  (3) Jaina Doctrine of Anekantavada mentions the manifold nature of reality.)