Milestones, Symbols, Sacred Writings, Groups and Institutio - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Milestones, Symbols, Sacred Writings, Groups and Institutions

Continuing with JainismSlide2
Slide3

Milestone:

Sallekhana

Recall: How did

Mahavira

die? (p. 71/p. 73)

Sallekhana

is the process of gradually fasting to the point of death. Slide4

A person who dies from anorexia is not considered to be participating in

Sallekhana

Sallekhana

is not considered to be a form of suicide, even though people willingly undertake this form of death

Although it is difficult to understand for many people, it is considered to be a sacred and holy practice, and not a form of self destructionSallekhanaSlide5

Jainism views death by fasting as the ultimate renouncement of

worldy

possessions, allowing the participant to die in full meditative awareness,

mainting

their vow until the very end of their earthly existence. SallekhanaSlide6

Symbol: Swastika and Open Palm

Adopted in 1973, 2500 years after

Mahavira’s

death

The outside represents the Jainism version of “the shape of the universe” or a person like so with wide legs and hands on hips:Slide7

Symbol: Swastika and Open Palm

The swastika represents four types of birth into which a soul can reincarnate during its journey in the universe

Three dots represent the three “jewels” of Jain

philisophy

by which liberation can be attained: Right Faith, Right Knowledge and Right ConductHalf moon represents the safe abode where souls reside, and the dot within represents the liberated soulSlide8

Symbol: Swastika and Open Palm

The hand itself represents a gesture of blessing and protection

The spokes within the circle represent

jinas

The symbol in the middle is the word ahimsaSlide9
Slide10

The Agama is the sacred writing of Jainism, based on

Mahavira’s

teachings.

Sacred Writing: AgamaSlide11

Within the Jain community, there are two distinct religious groups: the

Digambaras

(the sky-clad, or unclothed)

and the Svetambaras (white-clad). Both groups agree on the central beliefs behind the Jain religion, their practices are different.

The division between both clans started around 300BCE over two issues: the nature of

Mahavira

and monastic nudity.

Digambaras

and

SvetambarasSlide12

Concerning

Mahavira

:

Sky-Clad

Jains hold the opinion that Mahavira was more godly than human. They thought that once Mahavira achieved enlightement he was free from human needs such as thirst, hunger and sleep. White-Clad Jains believe that Mahavira

lived a relatively ordinary life and achieved liberation as a natural part of his life.

This disagreement is significant, but the true dividing point between the groups is monastic nudity.

Digambaras

and

SvetambarasSlide13

Concerning Monastic Nudity:

At one point, most Jain monks practiced nudity in accordance to their renouncement of earthly possessions.

According to one account, the group that came to be known as the sky-clad sect followed a Jain leader south when he predicted a famine in the north. The group was gone for quite some time. When they returned, the white-clad sect had begun wearing a few items of white clothing - seemingly contradicting their previous practice of nudity.

Digambaras and

SvetambarasSlide14
Slide15

The sky-clad group claimed that wearing clothes contradicted the belief of giving up all earthly possessions, a key aspect of the Five Practices. In response, the white-clad group felt that wearing

some

clothes was not a problem.

The groups have not been able to overcome this difference. To this day, the sky-clad

Jains are a separate and distinct group from the white-clad group. Digambaras and

SvetambarasSlide16

Final Words:

Sky-clad monks are covered from view when they are in public

Women have never been permitted to go sky-clad, and according to this group, women are not able to reach liberation

The white-clad group acknowledges the ability of women to achieve liberation without participating in monastic nudity

Digambaras and Svetambaras