Despite the fact that in the 1st century. BC. such branches of philosophical and religious teachings already existed, such as Buddhism, Vedanta, Mimamsa and others, the teachings of Vardhaman Mahavira reached wide distribution. Among the people he was nicknamed Jina, which in translation means "Winner", as a result of which the almost eponymous name of the doctrine itself - Jainism - appeared.
The life and teachings of Mahavira
Mahavira grew up in a princely family and belonged to the Kshatriya caste. According to legend, as a child he received an excellent education and had tremendous knowledge in various fields of science and philosophy. After his parents passed away, Mahavira began to lead an ascetic lifestyle at the age of 30. Putting on himself various spiritual experiments, once, according to history, he achieved omniscience and opened the foundations of a new understanding of the dharma of the "Universal Law". The meaning of Mahavira's life was the achievement of "Perfection", to which the correct knowledge, attitudes and behavior lead. This was the beginning of the founding of the religion he preached, which, despite all the differences, was thoroughly entrenched in India.
The main provisions of the doctrine
Jainism, like other ascetic schools, does not accept the idea of One God. The emphasis is on the person himself, on his own deeds, which can contribute to salvation from torment and misfortune in this world. It is proclaimed that life is divided into periods and class differences are created artificially, so that no one should condemn a person, regardless of whom and in what family he was born. Jainism also proclaims that life is too short to wait for old age and only then start living a religious life. A bad way of life leads to the fact that the soul is mired in the swamp of its karma.
Jain principles
The principle of "non-violence" is the firm foundation of all Jainism. The followers of this religion are convinced that no one has the right to harm this or that form of life, be it plants, insects, animals and even microscopic organisms. There are rules for wasting water and other supplies. Only through the practice of nonviolence (ahimsa) can one attain purification. Thus, the ecology today is under the watchful eye and protection of the Jains.
The principle of heterogeneity in Jainism assumes that one can find truth in different forms of religions, which are just different points of view in solving certain problems. In this way, Jainism tries to achieve unity. The foundations of this religion are quite simple and natural. The main rule is to treat the other person the way you want him to treat you. This slogan is the founder of the dogma of nonviolence, which requires self-control, and this, in turn, requires a hermit lifestyle. These are the main features of the entire Jain teaching.
