Tag: jainism

Tirthankara (or Jina) in Jainism is one who has attained infinite knowledge and liberation from the cycle of rebirth (moksha). He possesses avadhijana (super human cognition or psychic power through which he can perceive distant objects and foresee future events). Rishabhanatha was the first Tirthankara and Vardhaman Mahavira the last.

Jainism recognised the existence of the gods but placed them lower than the jina. Jainas rejected the authority of the Vedas, vedic rituals and Brahmana supremacy. However, they did not condemn Varna system and according to Mahavira, a person's varna was dependent upon the sins or virtues of previous birth.

Mahavira died at the age of 72 in 468 B.C. at Pava (Pavapuri near Patna). He thus became a Siddha, i.e. fully liberated and forever free of the embodiment. There is controversy regarding the date of the birth and moksha date of Vardhamana Mahavira. Some scholar has suggested the birth date to be 540 B.C and moksha date to be 468 B.C respectively. 

A great famine occurred about 200 years after the death of Mahavira and a group of monks under the leadership of Bhadrabahu went to the south to protect themselves while another group under the leadership of Sthulabahu stayed back in Magadha. When the group led by Bhadrabahu came back, they developed differences with the group led by Sthulabahu which culminated in schism in Jainism into Shvetambaras and Digambaras.

Vardhaman Mahavira left his home in pursuit of spiritual awakening and adopted ascetic life at the age of 30. He wandered for about 12 years and practiced severe austerities and eventually attained kevalajnana (enlightenment) at the age of 42 outside the town of Jrimbhikagrama on the banks of Rijupalika river.

Jainism, just like Buddhism, focused a lot on Ahimsa. Even tiny organisms were considered to have the conscience and were not to be hurt.

A great famine occurred about 200 years after the death of Mahavira and a group of monks under the leadership of Bhadrabahu went to the south to protect themselves while another group under the leadership of Sthulabahu stayed back in Magadha. When the group led by Bhadrabahu came back, they developed differences with the group led by Sthulabahu which culminated in schism in Jainism into Shvetambaras and Digambaras.

Basadis were basically monasteries or temples which sprang up in Karnataka post 5th century CE (AD) under the patronage of different kingdoms like Kadambas, Chalukyas, Gangas, Rashtrakutas etc. A lot of basadis are found in North Karnataka. Pillars, stone iconography and larger than life statues are some of the major attractions of basadis.

There were many different causes for the decline of Jainism in India, some of which have been listed below: