Ans The practice and ethics of Jainism revolve around a core principle of liberation (moksha) of the soul(Atman) from the Samsara (the continuous cycle of death and rebirth). The quality of one's rebirth is influenced by one's karma. An act of violence, non-ethical behavior etc can lead to bad Karma. Whereas ethical action and ascetic practice can remove the layers of impurities. To attain the liberation of the soul, followers of Jainism practice the five great Vows. They are Non-violence, speak the truth, do not steal, be chaste and Renounce all possessions. Jain Ascetic strictly and unconditionally follow those great vows. Nonviolence is preeminent Vow of a Jain whereas other vows are just extension of nonviolence and Nonviolence is woven …show more content…
Refrain from bathing swimming, walking in etc. to avoid harm to water bodies. refrain from lighting or extinguishing a fire to prevent harm to fire and lastly, they refrain from walking on small plants or grass to prevent harm to plants. the life of an Ascetic is a life of a hardship and discomfort.
"There is no quality of soul more subtle than non-violence and no virtue of spirit greater than reverence for life"(Mahavira). Mahavira's asceticism was extreme, consisting of severe fasting, meditation, and nakedness, which exposed him to the elements and to insects, which he refused to harm. His diet, lack of clothing, mode of travel, postures, and regard for even the smallest life forms all derived from the cardinal Jain principle of ahimsa, or nonviolence, Do not harm any living thing.
The next four vows as an extension of Non-violence are explained as such. 1) - truthfulness (Satya) - speaking lies, Falsehood (Asatya) would hurt another living being even unintentionally. Like telling rumors, False doctrines, gossip, backbiting, etc. 2) do not steal- Martialialistic good provide external vitality for people and by stealing you may hurt
Jain and Jain renouncers are very dedicated to the practice of ahimsa, or nonviolence. They are very aware of their world around them and what will happen to their karma if they harm any walks life. Jains try to eventually purge any negative karma they might have accumulated over their lifetime. Through this dedication to nonviolence, Jains work tirelessly to make sure that their intentional actions will not bring harm to anything or anyone. Many objects and traditions are connected to objects that can be found in their environment. Jains coexist with the world and wish to be a part of it and not leave a mark on it. Through their practice of ahimsa, Jains have formed a unique relationship and lifestyle practice with the world around them.
Buddhism’s approach to ethics and practices are centred upon the principal beliefs of; the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path and the Five Precepts. By adhering to these guidelines, Buddhists are ensured that they are taking a step closer to escaping Samsara, and attaining the revered state of Nirvana,
Throughout history, family events that occur the same time from generation to generation are considered convictions or religions. Religions are developed from all areas of the world with specific guidelines and values to lead a balanced spiritual life. Included in the world of events is religion the primary foundation of the life of an individual. According to the textbook, all religions share the goal of reconciliation, tying people back to something behind the surface of life (Fisher, 2014). The purpose of this paper is to present the similarities and differences between the two religions, Daoism and Jainism. The cultural origin and geographical origin are also presented, along with the description of three (3) particular religious practices of both religions. The final instruction is provide an example of how the religions are practiced today in various locations of the world.
n this reflective journal entry, we are going to look at that the ethical issues that were presented in the Ethics Game simulations, the decision-making steps that were completed to address ethically the issues, and the ethical lenses that I used to make decisions throughout the simulation. We are also going to take a look at how these different ethical lenses influenced my decision and the how I could use the concepts that I have learned in my workplace.
The first of the yamas is Ahimsa, whose translation from Sanskrit is non-violence. The yama of Ahimsa is about practicing non-violence in words, thoughts, and actions as well as about practicing compassion, patience, understanding, and love of all creatures. This yama is the one that I am most consciously aware of and that I practice the most in my life, for Ahimsa is the very essence of my religion, Jainism. To me, Ahimsa is much more than a request of being non-violent. It has the positive meaning of intense and detached love for every living creature. Every living creature has the same right to live in peace as you have and all beings should respect that right. Furthermore, Ahimsa does not mean to tolerate or passively accept violence or evil. It means to resist violence and evil, but with detachment and by loving the person through which that evil manifests. Ahimsa also implies a lack of unnecessary criticism. It requests to respect other's views and beliefs, and to listen to and approach with an open mind ideas that vary from your own. One of the ways that I practice Ahimsa in my life is by being a vegetarian. It is extremel...
When we discuss morality we know that it is a code of values that seem to guide our choices and actions. Choices and actions play a significant role in determining the purpose and course of a person’s life. In the case of “Jim and the Indians”, Jim faces a terrible dilemma to which any solution is morbid. On one hand, Jim can choose to ignore the captain’s suggestion and let the whole group of Indians be executed. Alternatively, he may decide upon sacrificing one Indian for the sake of saving the rest. Both options involve taking of person’s life. Regarding what should Jim do in this circumstance, there are two approaches according for Jim’s dilemma that should be examined. By looking into the Deontological moral theory and the moral theory of Consequentialism we can see what determines an action that is morally required.
...ld note that all three religions, Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism, have been the dominant, prevailing religious trends in India for many centuries, and they clearly reflect the culture, history, and spirituality of the country. All three of these religions effectively reflect the views of believers on life, death and honorable conduct. Nonetheless, despite the fact that they are very much related with each other, each has some distinct features distinguishing it from all others, and contributes to the understanding of the religious background in India both at the beginning of the new era of humanity, and in the contemporary period of time.
There is a considerable debate about the precise meaning of nonviolence. Some people believe that nonviolence is a philosophy and strategy for social change that rejects the use of violence. In other words, nonviolence is a method for resolving a conflict without the use of physical power nor enmity towards opponents. Instead, it emphasizes you to look beyond convictions and one’s urge for victory, it is the motto behind the saying “hate the sin and not the sinner”. For others it is a way of living and an essential part of their values and norms, for those people, nonviolence is the road which will lead them towards attaining inner piece and moral satisfaction. “Learn and teach nonviolence as a way of life; reflect it in attitude, speech and action” say’s Gerber in his article The Road to Nonviolence. Thus making nonviolence the ultimate behavior towards achieving truthful, spiritual, loving life. Mahatma Gandhi, the nonviolence guru, defines nonviolence as “a power which can be wielded equally by all-children, young men and women or grown-up people, provided they have a living faith in the God of Love and have therefore equal love for all mankind”. (mkgandhi.org) Therefore we understand that nonviolence has some terms and conditions to be met; living faith in God, truthfulness, humility, tolerance, loving kindness, honesty and the willingness to sacrifice. ...
Asceticism is derived from the Greek word “askesis”, meaning practice, bodily exercise, and athletic training (Cambell). Early Christians adopted this concept to foretell of the spiritual things in order to acquire habits of virtue. Virtue is the behavior showing high moral standards. There also is natural asceticism in meaning it is for self-improvement and aims directly to natural virtues such as temperance, patience, and chastity. The following will explain what asceticism is, why asceticism is practiced, and the nature of asceticism practices in Hindu and Buddhist traditions.
Jainism is one of the oldest religions founded in India (“History of Jainism”). Jainism holds...
Virtue Ethics Virtue ethics is a theory used to make moral decisions. It does not rely on religion, society or culture; it only depends on the individuals themselves. The main philosopher of Virtue Ethics is Aristotle. The. His theory was originally introduced in ancient Greek.
Jainism; an ancient religion from India that shows individuals that the way to liberation and bliss is to live lives of harmlessness and renunciation. Jains believe that all things have a living soul. The quintessence of Jainism is concern for the welfare of every being in the universe and the health of the universe itself. All souls are equal and must be treated with respect and compassion. Jains are strict vegetarians and live like minimalists, avoiding as much waste as possible. Jains seek to attain ultimate liberation - which means escaping the continuous cycle of birth, death and rebirth with the intent of the immortal soul living forever in a state of bliss. Once an individual has eliminated all karma from the soul, liberation is obtained.
Initially, I thought that even though Jainism is one of, if not, the most peaceful religion in the world, there would not be many difficulties to practice it. However, as I learned more about the religion, I realized there were so many restrictions involved and a significant amount of discipline required to follow this religion. For instance, filtering water multiple times to prevent harm from reaching microorganisms, sweeping the ground considerately, pulling out every strand of hair on one’s head, renouncing family members and sexual pleasures, having little to no belongings or simply having a limited diet. These strict practices seemed a bit ridiculous to me at first, but as I realized all of the above and more have to take place to achieve moksha, it seemed less ridiculous and more logical to me.
Jains believe that the world goes through different alterations, or swings. So currently, Jains believe that we are in the fourth swing, and it is a downward swing. Jainism is deeply rooted in the beliefs of non-violence. Followers of Jainism believe that every single thing has life; this even includes stones, trees, and sands. They believe that all living things have souls and are equal. Every soul is potentially divine and it has innate qualities of infinite knowledge, perception, power, and bliss. Mahavira led himself to starvation due to his belief in that every single thing has life, but generally Jains do not follow that path. At the very least, Jains are vegetarians and prevent trying to harm things. Jains, just like Buddhists, believe in karma and they believe that karma deeply directs out reincarnation and our bodies. The main goal of Jainism is to escape this cycle of birth and death and reach Moksha. Anything can reach the level of Moksha, even animals, or anything with a soul. Humans seem to have the best opportunity to reach Moksha. Jains believe that human life is a rare opportunity for the soul to reach enlightenment and, therefore, Moksha. People who reach the ultimate goal of Moksha are known as Tirthankaras. Jains do not worship any Gods, but they do hold Tirthankaras with high regard. These Tirthankaras were able to reach the ultimate goal of Moksha, so Jains greatly revere them. Essentially, through learning more about the tenets of Jainism, I have learned that Jainism truly values being simple and being one with nature. Jains are a very peaceful people and they live their lives in humbleness and tranquility. Even in their cardinal principles encourage this peaceful lifestyle such as non-violence, multiplicity of views, non-possessivenes, non-stealing, and chastity. Ultimately, Jainism shows us that we should live moderate
Ethics is a system of moral principles and a branch of philosophy which defines what is acceptable for both individuals and society. It is a philosophy that covers a whole range of things that have an importance in everyday situations. Ethics are vital in everyones lives, it includes human values, and how to have a good life, our rights and responsibilities, moral decisions what is right and wrong, good and bad. Moral principles affect how people make decisions and lead their lives (BBC, 2013). There are many different beliefs about were ethics come from. These consist of; God and Religion, human conscience, the example of good human beings and a huge desire for the best for people in each unique situation, and political power (BBC, 2013).