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An essay about Jainism
An essay about Jainism
Jainism and hinduism
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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. …show more content…
Thus, I thought that trying out the Jain diet for my project would prove to be an interesting yet challenging experience to take part in so that I can gain a little bit of insight into what life as a Jain might be like. Additionally, the man in the well parable also resonated with me. Even though the man has fallen down a well and will probably be attacked by the snakes or swallowed by the python, he is still focused on the honey dripping from the bees. This made me think deeply about how illogical it is for a person to be so caught up with the trivial aspects of life when there are far more serious issues at hand, like impending death in the case of the
Jonathan Safran Foer uses pathos and logos to effectively draw negative emotions from the readers, which cause he or she to question his or her diet. In the book
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.
"You know, my friend, that even as a young man, when we lived with the ascetics in the forest, I came to distrust doctrines and teachers and to turn my back to them. I am still of the same turn of mind, although I have, since that time, had many teachers. A beautiful courtesan was my teacher for a long time, and a rich merchant and a dice player. On one occasion, one of the Buddha’s wandering monks was my teacher. He halted in his pilgrimage to sit beside me when I fell asleep in the forest. I also learned something from him and I am grateful to him, very grateful. But most of all, I have learned from this river and from my predecessor, Vasudeva. He was a simple man; he was not a thinker, but he realized the essential as well as Gotama, he was a holy man, a saint" (141).
Sacks, B. (2014). Modern Jainism: One Of The Fastest Growing Religions Is Changing Tradition. Retrieved from http://www.neontommy.com
Christians refuse to fight at war, they can still be part of war in a
Though both Hinduism’s moksha and Buddhism’s nirvana are more or less synonymous, they both hold distinctive differences in the path that leads followers to the end goal of enlightenment from samsara. In Hinduism, “letting go” or releasing from samsara by way of the realization that “atman is Brahman” is what moksha is defined as. Contrastingly, Buddhism involves extinguishing feelings that cause suffering and thus, achieving
...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.
Reading through Chapters 9 and 10, I thought it might be appropriate to integrate some information from the Hindu theology. In her essay: Why Bodies Matter, Meredith B. McGuire mentions how food and its consumption can be a spiritual practice. Further, how preparing and eating food within the “black Pentecostal church” is considered as a religious and spiritual expression. The actions point to the love of togetherness that can be perceived among this community. Shifting the conversation to how the two couples used Buddhist practices as an expression of spirituality, one is reminded of the thought behind the mindfulness of preparing food and eating it together. Two thoughts come to my mind when I reflect on the reasons for “a near-meditative
Bibliography Siddhartha Hesse, herman New York; bantam 1951 Buddhism: Central Asia and China. 1994. The New Encyclopedia Brittanica. (15th ed). Vol 23. Chicago: Encyclopedia Brittanica Inc. pp.273-274. Buswell, R. (Ed). 1990. Chinese Buddhist apocrypha. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. Eliade, M. (Ed). 1987. The Encyclopedia of Religion. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company. Hinnells, J. (Ed). 1985. A handbook of living religions. London: Penguin Books. Snelling, J. 1992. The Buddhist handbook: A complete guide to Buddhist teaching and practice. London: Rider.
Buddhism, like most other religions, originated in a particular place at a particular time, and its roots are in forms and ideas that were part of the environment in which it developed. The most important of these areas at the time of the Buddha was the valley of the Ganges river which flows from west to east across most of northern India. It was here that the great religions of India first arose and flourished. Only later did they spread to the south. In the time of the Buddha, about 500 B.C.E., this area was undergoing a period of vigorous religious development.
Unlike Hindus, Buddhist follow Buddha’s four noble truths. The four noble truths provide a pathway to enlightenment; they teach what causes suffering in life and how to stop it. The noble truths are very simple and easy to understand. The first truth is that all existence will suffer no matter what, the second truth is the understanding of craving, the third truth is the cessation of suffering, and the final truth is following the noble eightfold path. Practicing Buddhism isn’t complex or difficult, unlike Hinduism. As long as one gives love and acceptance to everyone and everything, is mindful, practices Ahimsa, and detaches themselves from materialistic items one can be a successful Buddhist. Unlike the simplicity of Buddhism, Hinduism is very strict and complex. It is male oriented and difficult to follow through. To practice Hinduism one must follow the four stages of life. The first stage is being a student and study the Vedas. The second stage is being a house holder; support a student and have a family. The third stage is being a Hermit; withdraw from family for many months and prepare to become an ascetic. Finally, the last stage of life is becoming an ascetic. These stages are only allowed to be done by men and an extremely small percent of
People are prisoners of circumstance, but these circumstances don’t have to define us. The story in The Buddha and the Terrorist exemplifies this, as it’s a story of personal change and forgiveness. While also sharing solutions to problems that face the world today. Angulimala is a man born into poverty in the lowest caste, it’s there where his problems and misunderstandings of the world are cultivated. As he grows up his experiences mold him into a man desperate for respect as his caste commands him none.
From the moment we are born we have the tendency of craving the worldly desires that we are exposed to. Its part of human nature to want an ideal life where you are either wealthy, powerful, happy or all of the above without any suffering involved. Although that ideal sounds phenomenal, it is the thought of limitation that drives many people to seek for something more than just worldly pleasures. As some stay within the lines of an insatiable life, others come to the realization that living a life with nothing but worldly pleasures and goals are ultimately not everlasting. This is the point where people go on to pursue something bigger than themselves, something that gives them a purpose and infinite joy or as most would call it, a religion. One of the most fascinating major world religions that many have chosen to follow for centuries is Buddhism. A very complex, yet intriguing religion that seeks for a way of life that ultimately releases a person from suffering and leads them to inner peace and joy.
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.
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