Beliefs about Jainism

Every living being has a soul. When a soul is freed from karmas, it becomes free and attains divine consciousness, experiencing infinite knowledge, perception, power, and bliss.

Right View, Right Knowledge, and Right Conduct (triple gems of Jainism) provide the way to this realisation. There is no supreme divine creator, owner, preserver, or destroyer. The universe is self-regulated, and every soul has the potential to achieve divine consciousness (siddha) through its own efforts.
Jainism stresses the importance of controlling the senses including the mind, as they can drag one far away from true nature of the soul. Jains worship the icons of Jinas, Arihants, and Tirthankars, who have conquered their inner passions and attained divine consciousness, and study the scriptures of these liberated beings.
Jains are not a part of the Vedic Religion (Hinduism).Ancient India had two philosophical streams of thought: The Shramana philosophical schools, represented by Jainism movement, and the Brahmana/Vedic/Puranic schools represented by Vedanta, Vaishnava and other movements.

Principles of Jainism

Jainism encourages spiritual development through cultivation of one's own personal wisdom and reliance on self-control. When the soul sheds its karmic bonds completely, it attains divine consciousness. The goal of Jainism is to realize the soul's true nature .

Non-violence – This is the fundamental vow from which all other vows stem. It involves minimizing intentional and unintentional harm to any other living creature. "Non-violence" is sometimes interpreted as not killing, but the concept goes far beyond that. It includes not harming or insulting other living beings, either directly, or indirectly through others.

Truthfulness – to always speak the truth in a harmless manner. A person who speaks the truth becomes trustworthy like a mother, venerable like a preceptor and dear to everyone like a kinsman. .

Non-stealing–"Non-stealing", is the strict adherence to one's own possessions, without desire to take another's. One should remain satisfied by whatever is earned through honest labour. Any attempt to squeeze material wealth from others and exploit the weak is considered theft.

Celibacy - to control the senses including mind from indulgence. The basic intent of this vow is to conquer passion and to prevent the waste of energy. In this vow, the house holder must not have a sensual relationship with anybody other than one's own spouse. Jain monks and nuns should practice complete abstinence from sex.

Non-possession or Non-materialism – Ownership of an object itself is not possessiveness; however, attachment to an object is to detach from people, places, and material things.

Jain Festivals

Paryushan: is an important festival among the Jain festivals. It happens during late August/September commencing on the twelfth day of the fortnight of the waning moon cycle and ending in the fourteenth of the fortnight of the waxing moon cycle. Jains during this period practice external austerities such as fasting, limiting their normal activities so as to reduce the harm to worms and insects that thrive during this season. At the conclusion of the festivities, a reflection on the past is encouraged, and Pratikraman is done for repentance of faults.

Mahavir Jayanti: The birthday of Mahavir, the last Thirthankar is celebrated on the thirteenth day of the fortnight of the waxing moon, in the month of Chaitra. This day occurs in late March or early April on the Gregorian calendar.

Diwali: (Deepavali or festival of lights) is celebrated on the new moon day of Kartik, usually in late October or early November on the Gregorian calendar.In the morning of that day, Mahavir, the last Thirthankar attained Nirvana or deliverance and attained liberation from the bondage of all karmas. And on the very second day of Diwali they celebrate their New Year.

Anant Chaturdasi: The sacred commencement of Chaturmas takes place on the 14th day of the fortnight of the waxing moon of Ashad. The Jain monks and nuns remain where they happen to be for four months until the 14th day of Kartik Shukla.

Shrutha panchami or Gyan Panchami: is on the fifth day of the fortnight of the waxing moon of Kartik (the fifth day after Diwali). This day is devoted for pure knowledge. On this day books preserved in the religious libraries are cleaned and studied.

Contribution of Jains

Jain doctrine teaches that Jainism has always existed and will always exist, but for academic purposes, historians date the foundation of organized Jainism to sometime between the 9th and the 6th centuries BC. Though the Jains form only 0.42% of the population of India, their contribution to the exchequer by way of income tax is an astounding 24% of the total tax collected. The 2001 census states that Jains are India's most literate community and that India's oldest libraries at Patan and Jaisalmer are preserved by Jain institutions.The works of Jain writers Adikavi Pampa, Sri Ponna and Ranna, collectively called the "three gems of Kannada literature", heralded the age of classical Kannada in the 10th century.