Tirthankaras
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Tirthankaras
In Jainism, a ''Tirthankara'' (; ) is a saviour and supreme preacher of the ''dharma'' (righteous path). The word ''tirthankara'' signifies the founder of a '' tirtha'', a fordable passage across '' saṃsāra'', the sea of interminable birth and death. According to Jains, ''tirthankaras'' are the supreme preachers of ''dharma'', who have conquered ''saṃsāra'' on their own and made a path for others to follow. After understanding the true nature of the self or soul, the ''Tīrthaṅkara'' attains '' kevala jnana'' (omniscience). A Tirthankara provides a bridge for others to follow them from ''saṃsāra'' to '' moksha'' (liberation). In Jain cosmology, the wheel of time is divided into two halves, Utsarpiṇī', the ascending time cycle, and '' avasarpiṇī'', the descending time cycle (said to be current now). In each half of the cycle, exactly 24 ''tirthankaras'' grace this part of the universe. There have been infinitely many tirthankaras in the past. The first ''tirth ...
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Rishabhanatha
Rishabhanatha (Devanagari: ऋषभनाथ), also Rishabhadeva (Devanagari: ऋषभदेव, ), Rishabha (Devanagari: ऋषभ, ) or Ikshvaku (Devanagari: इक्ष्वाकु, ''Ikṣvāku''), is the first (Supreme preacher) of Jainism. He was the first of twenty-four teachers in the present half-cycle of time in Jain cosmology and called a "ford maker" because his teachings helped one cross the sea of interminable rebirths and deaths. The legends depict him as having lived millions of years ago. He was the spiritual successor of Sampratti Bhagwan, the last Tirthankara of the previous time cycle. He is also known as Ādinātha (), as well as Adishvara (first Jina), Yugadideva (first deva of the yuga), Prathamarajeshwara (first God-king) and Nabheya (son of Nabhi). He is also known as Ikshvaku, establisher of the Ikshvaku dynasty. Along with Mahavira, Parshvanath, Neminath, and Shantinath, Rishabhanatha is one of the five Tirthankaras that attract the most d ...
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Deshna
In Jainism, a ''Tirthankara'' (; ) is a saviour and supreme preacher of the ''Dharma (Jainism), dharma'' (righteous path). The word ''tirthankara'' signifies the founder of a ''Tirtha (Jainism), tirtha'', a fordable passage across ''Saṃsāra (Jainism), saṃsāra'', the sea of interminable birth and death. According to Jains, ''tirthankaras'' are the supreme preachers of ''dharma'', who have conquered ''saṃsāra'' on their own and made a path for others to follow. After understanding the true nature of the self or soul, the ''Tīrthaṅkara'' attains ''kevala jnana'' (omniscience). A Tirthankara provides a bridge for others to follow them from ''saṃsāra'' to ''moksha'' (liberation). In Jain cosmology, the wheel of time is divided into two halves, Utsarpiṇī', the ascending time cycle, and ''avasarpiṇī'', the descending time cycle (said to be current now). In each half of the cycle, exactly 24 ''tirthankaras'' grace this part of the universe. There have been infini ...
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Mahavira
Mahavira (Devanagari: महावीर, ), also known as Vardhamana (Devanagari: वर्धमान, ), was the 24th ''Tirthankara'' (Supreme Preacher and Ford Maker) of Jainism. Although the dates and most historical details of his life are uncertain and varies by sect, historians generally consider that he lived during the 6th or 5th century BCE, reviving and reforming a proto-Jain community (which had possibly been founded by Pārśvanātha), and that he was an older contemporary of Gautama Buddha. Jains regard him as the spiritual successor of the 23rd ''Tirthankara'' Parshvanatha. According to traditional legends and hagiographies, Mahavira was born in the early 6th century BCE to a royal Kshatriya Jain family of ancient India. His mother's name was Trishala and his father's name was Siddhartha. According to the second chapter of the Śvētāmbara Ācārāṅga Sūtra, Siddhartha and his family were devotees of Parshvanatha. Mahavira abandoned all worldly p ...
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Jain Cosmology
Jain cosmology is the description of the shape and functioning of the Universe (''loka'') and its constituents (such as living beings, matter, space, time etc.) according to Jainism. Jain cosmology considers the universe as an uncreated entity that has existed since infinity with neither beginning nor end. Jain texts describe the shape of the universe as similar to a man standing with legs apart and arms resting on his waist. This Universe, according to Jainism, is broad at the top, narrow at the middle and once again becomes broad at the bottom. Six eternal substances According to Jains, the Universe is made up of six simple and eternal substances called ''dravya'' which are broadly categorized under Jiva (Living Substances) and Ajiva (Non Living Substances) as follows: ''Jīva (Jainism), Jīva'' (Living Substances) * Jīva (Jainism), Jīva i.e. Souls – ''Jīva'' exists as a reality, having a separate existence from the body that houses it. It is characterised by ''chetan ...
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Arihant (Jainism)
''Arihant'' (, ) is a jiva (soul) who has conquered inner passions such as attachment, anger, pride and greed. Having destroyed four inimical karmas, they realize pure self. ''Arihants'' are also called ''kevalins'' ( omniscient beings) as they possess '' kevala jnana'' (pure infinite knowledge). An ''arihant'' is also called a ''jina'' ("victor"). At the end of their life, ''arihants'' destroy remaining '' karmas'' and attain ''moksha'' (liberation) and become '' siddhas''. ''Arihantas'' have a body while ''siddhas'' are bodiless pure spirit. The Ṇamōkāra mantra, the fundamental prayer dedicated to '' Pañca-Parameṣṭhi'' (five supreme beings), begins with ''Ṇamō arihantāṇaṁ'', "obeisance to the arihants". ''Kevalins'' - omniscient beings - are said to be of two kinds # ''Tirthankara kevalī'': 24 human spiritual guides who after attaining omniscience teach the path to salvation. # ''Sāmānya kevalī'': ''Kevalins'' who are concerned with their own liber ...
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Jainism
Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religions, Indian religion whose three main pillars are nonviolence (), asceticism (), and a rejection of all simplistic and one-sided views of truth and reality (). Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four , supreme preachers of ''dharma''. The first in the current time cycle is Rishabhadeva, who tradition holds lived millions of years ago; the 23rd is Parshvanatha, traditionally dated to the 9th century Common Era, BCE; and the 24th is Mahāvīra, Mahavira, who lived . Jainism is considered an eternal ''dharma'' with the guiding every time cycle of the Jain cosmology, cosmology. Central to understanding Jain philosophy is the concept of ''bhedavijñāna'', or the clear distinction in the nature of the soul and non-soul entities. This principle underscores the innate purity and potential for liberation within every Jīva (Jainism), soul, distinct from the physical and menta ...
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Tattvartha Sutra
''Tattvārthasūtra'', meaning "On the Nature [''artha''] of Reality [''tattva'']" (also known as ''Tattvarth-adhigama-sutra'' or ''Moksha-shastra'') is an ancient Jain text written by ''Acharya (Jainism), Acharya'' Umaswami in Sanskrit between the 2nd and 5th centuries CE. The ''Tattvārthasūtra'' is regarded as one of the earliest, most authoritative texts in Jainism. It is accepted as authoritative in both its major sub-traditions – ''Digambara'' and ''Śvētāmbara'' – as well as the minor sub-traditions. It is a philosophical text, and its importance in Jainism is comparable with that of the ''Brahma Sutras'' and ''Yoga Sutras of Patanjali'' in Hinduism. In an aphoristic sutra style of ancient Indian texts, it presents the complete Jainism philosophy in 350 sutras over 10 chapters. The text has attracted numerous commentaries, translations and interpretations since the 5th-century. One of its sutras, ''Parasparopagraho Jivanam'' is the motto of Jainism. Its meaning ...
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Karma In Jainism
Karma is the basic principle within an overarching psycho-cosmology in Jainism. Human moral actions form the basis of the transmigration of the soul ('). The soul is constrained to a cycle of rebirth, trapped within the Temporality, temporal world ('), until it finally achieves liberation ('). Liberation is achieved by following a path of purification. Jains believe that karma is a physical substance that is everywhere in the universe. Karma particles are attracted to the soul by the actions of that soul. Karma particles are attracted when we do, think, or say things, when we kill something, when we lie, when we steal and so on. Karma not only encompasses the causality of transmigration, but is also conceived of as an extremely subtle matter, which infiltrates the soul—obscuring its natural, transparent and pure qualities. Karma is thought of as a kind of pollution, that taints the soul with various colours (''Lesya, leśyā''). Based on its karma, a soul undergoes transmigr ...
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Canon Law
Canon law (from , , a 'straight measuring rod, ruler') is a set of ordinances and regulations made by ecclesiastical jurisdiction, ecclesiastical authority (church leadership) for the government of a Christian organization or church and its members. Canon law includes the internal ecclesiastical law, or operational policy, governing the Catholic Church (both the Latin Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches), the Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodox churches, and the individual national churches within the Anglican Communion. The way that such church law is legislative power, legislated, interpreted and at times court, adjudicated varies widely among these four bodies of churches. In all three traditions, a canon (canon law), canon was originally a rule adopted by a church council; these canons formed the foundation of canon law. Etymology Greek language, Greek / , Arabic language, Arabic / , Hebrew language, Hebrew / , 'straigh ...
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Darśana
In Indian religions, a ''darshan'' (Sanskrit: दर्शन, ; 'showing, appearance, view, sight') or ''darshanam'' is the auspicious sight of a deity or a holy person. The term also refers to any one of the six traditional schools of Hindu philosophy and their literature on spirituality and soteriology. Etymology The word ''darshana'', also in the forms of ''darśana'' or ''darshanam'', comes from the Sanskrit root of दर्शन ''dṛś'' 'to look at', 'to view', vision, apparition or glimpse. Definition ''Darshana'' is described as an "auspicious sight" of a holy person, which bestows merit on the viewer. It is most commonly used for theophany, meaning a manifestation or vision of the divine. In Hinduism In Hindu worship, it refers to seeing a deity (especially in image form), or a very holy person or artifact. One can receive ''darshana'' or a glimpse of the deity in the temple, or from a great saintly person, such as a great guru. One can also take ''darshana ...
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Bandha (Jainism)
''Bandha'' (also ''karma-bandha'') in Jainism, is the mutual intermingling of the soul and '' karmas'' (fine matter). ''Bandha'' (Bondage) comes immediately after the '' asrava'' (influx of ''karmas''). Overview According to the Jain text Tattvartha sutra (in shloka 8.1), the activities that causes the bondage (or ''bandha'') are: *Wrong belief (''mithyā-darśana'') *Non-abstinence (''avirati'') *Negligence (''pramāda'') *Passions (''kaṣāya'') According to the Jain text '' Samayasāra'', a right believer is free from the ''karma-bandha'' i.e. bondage. Champat Rai Jain, an influential Jain writer of the 20th century in his book ''The Key of Knowledge'' wrote: Classification The bondage is of four kinds according to the Tattvartha sutra (in shloka 8.3): # according to the nature or species (''prakṛti'') of karma # depending upon the duration (sthiti'') of karma # fruition (''anubhava''/''anubhāga'') of karma # the quantity of space-points (''pradeśa'') of karma ...
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