1. Jainism and Sikhism
Chapter 5

3. Jainism Tirthankaras Ford Finders – Stream Crossers
Revered but not worshiped
Parshva – the first
Born before the Buddha in time of Vedas
Mahavira – the last
Focus of current belief and practices
Lived around same time as the Buddha

4. Jainism Mahavira 24th and Last Tirthankara (599 BCE)
Father was 2nd caste
Mother dreamed of his greatness
Renounced the world around age 30
Took 12 years to reach Nirvana
Became a Jina (conquerer)
Lives in ishatpragbhara beyond life and death

5. Digambaras Sky Clad – nudity (for men only) “Conservative”
Renounce the world
Mahavira was unmarried
Mahavira (Jina)
Omniscient trance
Under a white umbrella
Lotus position
Making a divine sound

6. Shvetambaras White clad Women included Liberal Mahavira
Born after embryo transfer from Brahmins
Ate sparingly and taught not to harm life
Believed he was married with a child
Continued to teach for 30 years and gain followers

7. Jain Scriptures (Agamas)
Translations of the heavenly sounds of Mahavira
Purvas
No longer exist but thought to go back to the First Tirthankara (Parshva)
Angas
Originate with 24th Tirthankara (Mahavira)
Acaranga
Life and basic teachings of Mahavira
Rules for monks and nuns
Injury to animals is a sin
Laws of Karma
Angabahya

8. Jainism Loka Universe where sentient beings are reborn Triloka
Ishatpragbhara – where liberated souls live
Middle World – where humans live
Hells

9. Jainism Jiva Soul, eternal consciousness, purity
Ajiva (nonjiva) bound to Jiva by Karma which is material

10. Jainism Important to Jains
Ahimsa - Non violence toward all living things
Self-purification
Chastity
Poverty
Identification with all living beings
Truthfulness
Not Stealing
Non-attachment
Death by fasting (sallekhana)
Karma – comes with selfish desires

11. Jainism Difference from Hinduism Difference from Buddhism
Jains do not follow Vedas
Jains do not worship multiple Hindu deities
Karma is a physical substance
Difference from Buddhism
Jiva (soul) is reincarnated until Moksha is achieved
Bodily denial of food and clothing
Non attachment practiced by fasting (Aparigraph)
Release only comes after commitment to faith

12. Jainism Worship Approach those who reached Jina as if still living
Seeking the heavenly sound of inspiration
Must wash and enter temple barefooted-purity rituals
Pilgrimages
Fasting
Alms

13. Jainism Absolute and World View
No creator and no beginning to the universe
Basic doctrines are absolute
Everything else is relative
Salvation is through one’s own effort
All life is sacred
Causing pain snares humans in suffering
Soul is superior to the physical world
Watch out for bugs

14. Sikhism 24 million Sikhs in the world
21 million in India, most in Punjab
¼ million in the United States
Monotheistic

15. Sikhism

16. Sikhism Nanak From Punjab 1469 CE
Rejected Hindu coming of age ritual (upanayana)
Vision of God followed spiritual crisis at age 30
Appointed by God as Supreme Guru
Denied Qu’ran and the Vedas
Became wandering evangelist in India
Disciples called Sikhs

17. Sikhism Nanak’s Teachings God is the original Guru
Humans souls want communion with God
Loving self >God causes suffering
God lives in human hearts
5 Stages of progress
Piety
Knowledge
Humility
Spirit
Truth

18. Sikhism Gobind (1666-1708) 10th and last Guru following Nanak
Khalsa (lions) were his first 5 followers and models
Uncut hair, comb, short pants, steel bracelet, sword
Baptized in water
Worship the One God
Bathe in cold water each dawn and pray
No tobacco or alcohol
No molestation of Muslim women
No Caste

19. Sikhism Adi Granth Dastar Kirpan Scriptures
Considered the “perpetual guru”
Central text for devotion and ritual
Dastar
Turban worn by Sikh men
Towering fortress
Kirpan
Ceremonial sword

20. Sikhism Worship in Gudwara Shoes removed Heads covered
Adi Granth (scripture) central
Eat from common source of offered sweets
Bhais – spiritual brothers in white

21. The Absolute for Sikhism
God is personally present in the human heart
God and the way to God are made known in the Word
Most humans love possessions more than God
Salvation through baptism, meditation, charity, and hard work
Mystical union of soul with God is ultimate goal
Sikhs not evangelical
Desire Punjab to be their own state
Sikhs will fight to defend but are not aggressive