by ,

HEART BEATS

 Jainism is an independent and most ancient religion of India.

Jainism is an eternal religion.

Jainism, traditionally known as Jain Dharma.

Jainism prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings.

 The 24 Tirthankaras are considered to be the creator of Jain religion. They are divine elements of Jainism. The first tirthankaras was Lord Rishabha. Lord Mahavir was the twenty forth and the last Tirthankara of the Jain religion.

 Chandragupta Maurya, the first well

known emperor of India. He became a followers of Jainism in the last phase of his reign and ended his life by fasting in the true tradition of a Jain monk.

 Every day most Jains bow their head and say their universal prayer, the Namokara Mantra. Jains have built temples, or Basadi or Derasar,

where images of Tirthankaras are worshiped. But some Jain sects refuse to enter temples or worship images. Jains are clear that the Jinas reside in moksha and are completely detached from the world.

There are basically two types of prayers: 1. Dravya Puja (with symbolic offerings of material objects) 2. Bhav Puja (with deep feeling and meditation)

 The material offerings made during the prayer are

merely symbolic and are for the benefit of the offerer. The action and ritual of offering keeps the mind in meditative state. Om Hrim Siddhi Chakra used by Jains in dravya puja. Prayer is not performed with a desire for any material goal.

 Jain scriptures offer extensive guidance on meditation

techniques to achieve full knowledge and awareness. It offers tremendous physical and mental benefits. Jain meditation techniques are designed to assist the practitioner to have Right perception, Right knowledge and Right conduct. Meditation in Jainism aims at taking the soul to status of complete freedom from bondages.

 The Jain religion places great emphasis on Karma.

Essentially, it means that all jivas reap what they

sow. A happy or miserable existence is influenced by actions in previous births. These results may not occur in the same life, and what we sow is not limited to physical actions. Physical, verbal, and mental activities affect future situations.

 All living beings require food for their

survival. Jains practice strict vegetarinism. The practice of vegetarianism is instrumental for the practice of non-violence and peaceful co-operative co-existence

Jains are strictly forbidden to use any leather products since they are derived by merciless and inhumane killing of animals.

Jains usually do not consume root vegetables such as potatoes, garlic, onions, carrots, radishes,cassava,sweet potatoes etc., as the plant.

Bringals are also not consumed by some Jains owing to the large number of seeds in the vegetable, as a seed is a form of life

 Fasting is one of the main tools for practicing external austerity. It helps to keep the demands of the body under

check and assists in the focus on the upliftment of the soul. Fasting one immerses oneself in religious activities such as worshiping, serving the saints, reading scriptures, meditating, and donating to the right recipients.

Depending on the capacity of an individual, there are several types of fasting: Complete fasting: giving up food and/or water completely for a period Partial fasting: eating less than you need to avoid hunger Vruti Sankshepa: limiting the number of items of food eaten Rasa Parityaga: giving up favourite foods

1.Ahimsa

 The hand with a wheel on the palm symbolizes the Jain Vow of Ahimsa, meaning non violence.
The word in the middle is Ahimsa.

The wheel represents the dharma chakra, to halt the cycle of reincarnation through the pursuit of truth.

 The swastika is among the holiest of Jain symbols. Worshippers use rice grains to create a swastika

around Jain temple altar A Jain swastika is normally associated with the three dots on the top accompanied with a crest and a dot.

Thiruvalluvar-An Ancient Tamil Jain Poet

Jain Prakrit Sanskrit Marathi

Tamil
Rajasthani Dhundari Marwari Hindi

Gujarati
Kannada Malayalam Tulu

 Jain ideas about the soul differ from those of many other religions.
The Jain word that comes closest to soul is jiva,

which means a conscious, living being. For Jains body and soul are different things: the body is just an inanimate container - the conscious being is the jiva. .

 They are monks who follow the Jain religion. They cover their mouths and noses to avoid any involuntary killing - even of germs. Sometimes they also carry small brooms to remove any small creature out of their way so that they do not unknowingly tread on it. Their lifelong attempt is to live by the principle of ahimsa or non violence.

 Jainism and Buddhism were founded at relatively similar time of century. Mahavira renounced his throne to become a Jain

monk. Professions such as farming are avoided because many insects are killed when ploughing the fields. Meditation or Samayika is a daily practice amongst Jains fortune.

 Mahavira Jayanti Paryushana Divali Kartak Purnima (considered to be an auspicious time

for pilgrimage to the sacred sites associated with the Jain religion.) Mauna Agyara(This is a day-long observance of fasting and silence)

 This festival celebrates the day of Mahavira's birth.

Jains will gather in temples to hear readings of

the teachings of Mahavira. Images of Mahavira are paraded through the streets with much pomp and ceremony

 The word 'Paryushana' means 'to stay in one place', which signifies a time of reflection and repentance for the Jain devotee. Originally this

was primarily a monastic practice. This festival consists of eight days of intensive fasting, repentance and pujas. Often monks will be invited to give teachings from the Jain scriptures.