All
about Jainism
All
about Jina
The Swastika
Mahavira and Christ
Jainism and Christianity
Jainism Art Gallery
Jainism Images by Google
Founded in the 5th century BC by
Vardhamma Mahavira
"(Mathematician") (599-527), at the same time than Buddhism,, though actually he
was not the founder of
Jainism, but he reformed and refined previous teachings of the Jaina tradition.
Buddhism is the "middle way", Jainism is the "most strict religion"
with two Traditions or Denominations:
1- The "Diganbara" (naked) are monks and nuns with vow of
"nudity", usually living in monasteries.
2- The "Svatembara" (white-robed).
They have
6 rules:
1- Destroy no life.
2- Do not lie.
3- Practice charity.
4- Practice chastity.
5- Posses nothing, want nothing.
6- Devotion of whole life to task (Moshka).
Like Buddhism, it is a rebellion against Hindu life: No gods, no priests, no caste
system... but they have the Law of Karma and Reincarnation.
"Jina", "the conqueror", the
enlightened one:
To obtain "Nirvana", Mahavira left his rich home and wandered for 13 years with
a Spartan life of denial of all worldly things, even walking nude... until enlightenment
suddenly came to him after meditating for 2½ days under saia tree on a river bank in
Nepal... here enlightenment is called "Jina" (the conqueror, victorious), and
from "Jina" comes the name "Jainism".
It is a most paradoxical religion:
They rejected the gods of Hinduism, but now practically every existing thing is a god: The
mountains and earth and stones have a "soul", every plant, every animal is a
god... this leads to respect for the sanctity of life: They carry a small broom to sweep
all forms of life from their path, and even they ware masks over their mouths so as to not
accidentally swallow flies or other insects... because they are gods... and
Jainism has beautiful Temples
There is no god to help you to obtain "Jain", but Mahavira is god, and
they
have beautiful temples like the one in Calcutta I have seen... and Mt. Aby in central
India is a most holy place...
They are only 5 million Jains in India, but very influential, because they are most
successful bankers and merchants, in spite the Jainism most rigid restrictions on
accumulating wealth...
The first rule is to avoid any bad karma, to control all passions, emotions, pride,
anger, lying, greed... and to build good karma, one must practice charity, give freely of
one's wealth to aid the poor, build hospitals, homes for the orphans, schools, and build
temples for the Hindu gods... though all Hindu gods are no gods, all of them are inferior
deities subordinated to Mahavira.
The Swastika:
Jains use the two symbols shown above.
The Swastika may have originated as blueprint for a
fort called Su Vastu:
In the conventional type of a fort, the fall of one of the gates to the
attacking army would lead to the Enemy's pouring into the fort and lead to
massacre or capture of all or most of its inhabitants. But under the Swastika
grids fall of one of the four gates could still keep, at least three-fourths of
the fort safe. The understanding of the Swastika as a blueprint for a fort can
also be etymologically corroborated. In Sanskrit, Vasa means to inhabit and
Vastu means habitation. While Su means good. The word Swastika might be an
amalgam of the terms 'Su' and 'Vastu' pronounced as 'Swastu' meaning 'a good
habitation'.
A swastika marks the
beginning of many Buddhist scriptures, and is often incised on the soles of the
feet of Buddha in statuary. In the Jain religion, it is a symbol of the seventh
Jina (saint), Suparsva. To native Americans, it is a symbol of the sun, the
directions, and the four seasons.
Everybody knows the swastika was used by Hitler, and
that's a pity!
Mahavira
and Christ:
God:
- Mahavira claims to be god, but a god lie a
mountain or a plant, he can't create stars nor atoms.
- Christ claims to be the only one real God
creator of heavens and earth
Prophesied:
- Mahavira was never prophesied before his birth.
- Christ was prophesied hundreds of times for
thousands of years before his birth, the place of his birth, his character and
work...1,093
Prophecies and Types of the Old Teatament fulfilled in Christ and His church
Resurrection:
- Mahavira did not resurrect after death.
- Christ resurrected three days after
death.
The essence of Christianity is not "to know" about Christ but "to be" another Christ, with Christ in the Christian and the Christian in Christ, in his Mystical Body, in his church... and Christ is God, the Absolute, the real Brahman who became a real human person, not just a hero of an imaginary novel.
The Work of Christ on earth:
1- The Cross: Jesus on the Cross redeemed us, He paid for all our sins for all our bad karma, we just have to appropriate this free payment just by believing in Jesus Christ and doing what fe orders, ainly to be baptized in his church. (Mark n16:15-16).No more need of Jina nor any reincarnation
2- The Resurrection: But the Cross was not the end...
After His Resurrection Jesus Himself wants to live in the Christian,
here, on earth. We were saved from sin and bad karma to live on earth with the
love and joy and peace of Jesus in us, I no longer live, but Christ lives in
me (Gal.2:20). A love and joy and peace that nothing and nobody can take
away (Rom.8:37-39).
Give thanks with joy to God always and in any circumstance as proclaimed in
Eph.5:20 and emphasized in the Preface of every Holy Mass, Indeed it is
"just" and "necessary", our "duty" and our "salvation" to give thanks to God
always and in all circumstances. There are no more words in the dictionary
to emphasize it!
The life of a Christian on earth is a
A Wedding Feast!
, as proclaimed in at least 20
quotations in the Bible. In this Wedding Feast each one of us is invited, and
not just as any guest, but as the "Bride of the Lamb". This is the message of
the Cana wedding feast in John 2, the first miracle of Jesus.
With problems like in Cana, but always with the joy and love and excitement
of a bride in her wedding feast. In success or failure, good or bad health,
always with the joy and love and peace of Jesus in me that nobody and nothing
can take away.
3- The Ascension: Still more: The work of Jesus on earth did not end
with the Cross nor with the Resurrection, but with His Ascension to Heaven:
He wants us to go to eternal Heaven, like Him!... Christianity is the religion
of joy on earth, but still more, in Heaven for one eternity, without the need
for any reincarnation, because Jesus paid for absolutely all or sins, all our
bad karma.
Suffering?
Yes, many problems and sufferings, but with the joy and excitement of
a "mother in labor" Jesus tells us in Jn.16:21.
Because Each suffering of a Christian is to bring up a new
life, either in us or in others:
1- In us... because each suffering is like an injection of God to purify
us, as proclaimed in Hebrews 12.
2- In others... like the sufferings of redemption of Christ or Mary, of
Peter or Paul... Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my
flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up
what is lacking in Christ's afflictions. (Colos.1:24)... yes, with my
cross I am a co-redeemer with Christ, it is my best evangelization, to help
others to go to Heaven. An old sick woman is not a burden, but the best treasure
of home.
"Suffering" is a great revolution of Jesus in the two mountains:
1- In the Mount of the Beatitudes, proclaiming the "poor happy", the "hunger
happy", those who "mourn happy", the "persecuted happy"...
2- At Calvary it was not with words, but with deeds, with his flesh... the
greatest success of humankind!...
IT CAN BE DONE... CHRIST AND I, ABSOLUTE MAJORITY!, I can do everything
through him who gives me strength. (Phil.4:13).
I met a few Jains in India, and they were very respectful, kind, living a Spartan hard life... and their main problem is "Reincarnation"... The Jains agree that for a laymen it is almost impossible to obtain "Jina", even after such an Spartan life of denials; to obtain Jina you have to be a monk, and a male one!... Come to Jesus!... He is God!, He made miracles to back his words... and resurrected!... and He is at your side to clean all your bad karma, just by believing in Him... and to give you a new life on earth, to do wonderful things... and a real Paradise after death... without any reincarnations!...
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Home E- Mail to: J. Dominguez, M.D. Last edition: September 11, 2004