The Religions Book

70

The symbol adopted by Jainism is a
complex arrangement of elements within
an outline that represents the universe:
earthly concerns in the lower regions
lead up to the abode of celestial beings.

a person is not completely detached
from sexual feelings and false notions
of modesty. Digambara monks may
not even carry alms bowls, but
must receive food in their cupped
hands. Digambaras also believe
that liberation from rebirth is not
possible for women until they have
first been reborn as a man.

Living in the world
Lay Jains do not take the Five
Great Vows, but they do take
lesser vows that are similar:
renouncing violence, vowing not
to lie or to steal, embracing chaste
sexual behavior, and avoiding
attachment to material things. All
Jains are strictly vegetarian, in line
with the vow of nonviolence, and
must not do work that involves the
destruction of life. Some Jains will
only use flowers that have already

fallen from the plant in their

worship, arguing that to cut a living

flower is an act of violence. Lay

Jains may marry, but are expected

to uphold the highest standards

of behavior. In this, as in all things,

Jains follow the path of the Three

Jewels: right faith, right knowledge,

and right conduct.

Sometimes there is said to

be a fourth jewel, right penance:

atonement for sins is important

in Jainism. At the annual festival

of Samvatsari, which follows an

eight-day period of fasting and

abstinence in the monsoon season,

a full confession is made to family

and friends of the sins of the past

year, and vows are taken not to

carry grudges into the new year.

Meditation is important, too, and

Jain daily rituals include 48-minute

sessions of meditation, in which

the aim is to be at one with the

universe, and to forgive and be

forgiven for all transgressions.

(Forty-eight minutes—one-thirtieth

of a day—is a mahurta, a standard

unit of time in India often used

for ritual purposes.)

Other Jain virtues are: service

to others, attention to religious

study, disengagement from passion,

and politeness and humility.

Particular merit is gained by

donating food to monks and nuns.

All of these practices combine with

the self-denial required by even

laypersons’ vows to reduce the

karma (consequences of past

deeds) which, the Jains believe,

accumulates on the soul

as a kind of physical substance. All

karma, both good and bad, must be

removed to achieve liberation. The

idea is to progress gradually along

The word “ahimsa”—

nonviolence—the principle

by which Jains live.

The liberated soul in its

elevated dwelling place.

The open palm,

a reminder to stop and

consider all actions.

The four states the soul

may live in: heaven,

human, animal, hell.

The wheel, the symbol

of the cycle of death

and rebirth.

The Three Jewels:

right faith, right knowledge,

right conduct.

SELF-DENIAL LEADS TO SPIRITUAL LIBERATION