Download or read book My Search for Spirituality in Jainism written by Suman Jain and published by . This book was released on 2021-06 with total page 96 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Jainism was one of the major religions in ancient India, but at present it is a minority religion with no more than three to four million members. In spite of their numbers, Jains form a significant part of the elite and prosperous middle class of India and are occupied in business, industry, banking, trade, and commerce. They are well known for their philanthropy, charitable institutions, art, and works of public welfare. Jainism continues to be a living religion which has preserved in large measure the integrity of its origins. Its message is of love and goodwill, non-violence and peace, internal as well as external, personal as well as universal. My Search for Spirituality in Jainism presents Jainism through its history, philosophy, symbols, cosmology, scriptures, and art. Part memoir and part travel narrative, it follows Suman Jain's journey in coming to understand her faith through reflections on her own experiences. It goes into depth about such wide-ranging topics as: a detailed explanation of the concept of karma, which cannot be fully explained without talking about the permanence of soul matter and reincarnation the ultimate goal of a Jain is to attain freedom - Moksha or Nirvana - from the cycles of birth there are stages of progress for our souls to achieve purity Jainism is based on the principle of non-violence the Jain cosmology according to Jain scriptures In this way, My Search for Spirituality in Jainism explores the ways that Jainism and its practice are more than ever relevant in the modern world.
Download or read book Jainism written by Helmuth von Glasenapp and published by Motilal Banarsidass Publ.. This book was released on 1999 with total page 610 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The present book is one of the best and stimulating books ever written by scholars on Jainism. A glance at its contents will reveal the fact that Glasenapp has covered almost all the salient features of Jainism. The book is divided into
Download or read book Yoga in Jainism written by Christopher Key Chapple and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2015-10-14 with total page 324 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Jaina Studies is a relatively new and rapidly expanding field of inquiry for scholars of Indian religion and philosophy. In Jainism, "yoga" carries many meanings, and this book explores the definitions, nuances, and applications of the term in relation to Jainism from early times to the present. Yoga in Jainism begins by discussing how the use of the term yoga in the earliest Jaina texts described the mechanics of mundane action or karma. From the time of the later Upanisads, the word Yoga became associated in all Indian religions with spiritual practices of ethical restraint, prayer, and meditation. In the medieval period, Jaina authors such as Haribhadra, Subhacandra, and Hemacandra used the term Yoga in reference to Jaina spiritual practice. In the modern period, a Jaina form of Yoga emerged, known as Preksa Dhyana. This practice includes the physical postures and breathing exercises well known through the globalization of Yoga. By exploring how Yoga is understood and practiced within Jainism, this book makes an important contribution to the fields of Yoga Studies, Religious Studies, Philosophy, and South Asian Studies.
Download or read book Jainism written by Jeffery D. Long and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2013-03-22 with total page 171 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Jainism evokes images of monks wearing face-masks to protect insects and mico-organisms from being inhaled. Or of Jains sweeping the ground in front of them to ensure that living creatures are not inadvertently crushed: a practice of non-violence so radical as to defy easy comprehension. Yet for all its apparent exoticism, Jainism is still little understood in the West. What is this mysterious philosophy which originated in the 6th century BCE, whose absolute requirement is vegetarianism, and which now commands a following of four million adherents both in its native India and diaspora communities across the globe?In his welcome new treatment of the Jain religion, Long makes an ancient tradition fully intelligible to the modern reader. Plunging back more than two and a half millennia, to the plains of northern India and the life of a prince who - much like the Buddha - gave up a life of luxury to pursue enlightenment, Long traces the history of the Jain community from founding sage Mahavira to the present day. He explores asceticism, worship, the life of the Jain layperson, relations between Jainism and other Indic traditions, the Jain philosophy of relativity, and the implications of Jain ideals for the contemporary world. The book presents Jainism in a way that is authentic and engaging to specialists and non-specialists alike.
Download or read book Nine Lives written by William Dalrymple and published by A&C Black. This book was released on 2010-06-07 with total page 305 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A Buddhist monk takes up arms to resist the Chinese invasion of Tibet - then spends the rest of his life trying to atone for the violence by hand printing the best prayer flags in India. A Jain nun tests her powers of detachment as she watches her best friend ritually starve herself to death. Nine people, nine lives; each one taking a different religious path, each one an unforgettable story. William Dalrymple delves deep into the heart of a nation torn between the relentless onslaught of modernity and the ancient traditions that endure to this day. LONGLISTED FOR THE BBC SAMUEL JOHNSON PRIZE
Download or read book Jainism For Children written by Nish Lalit Shah and published by . This book was released on 2020-11-16 with total page 54 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Jainism is an ancient Indian religion rooted in non-violence towards others. Jains believe that twenty-four great spiritual leaders, or Tirthankars, were responsible for propagating certain fundamentals tenets of Jainism. This book gives a little background information about each of them. Kids will enjoy this introductory book full of captivating illustrations, and parents might learn a thing or two as well! 50% of all proceeds from this book will go towards various philanthropic efforts in India. Who Are the Tirthankars? Jains believe in the concept of karma and reincarnation. Who we are born as in the next life is dependent on our actions in the present life. By shedding karma and eliminating attachments, our soul inches closer and closer to Moksha (spiritual liberation). Any deserving soul is capable of becoming a Jina (victorious one), but only those responsible for teaching and spreading the central tenets of Jainism can be considered a Tirthankar. A Tirthankar is therefore not an incarnation of God, but rather a spiritual teacher who spreads five principal teachings of Jainism: ahimsa (non-violence), aparigraha (non-possessiveness), brahmacharya (chastity), asteya (non-stealing), and satya (truth).
Download or read book Living Jainism written by Aidan D. Rankin and published by John Hunt Publishing. This book was released on 2013-06-28 with total page 215 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Living Jainism explores a system of thought that unites ethics with rational thought, in which each individual is his or her own guru and social conscience extends beyond human society to animals, plants and the whole of the natural world. The Jain Dharma is a humane and scientific spiritual pathway that has universal significance. With the re-emergence of India as a world power, Jain wisdom deserves to be better known so that it can play a creative role in global affairs. Living Jainism reveals the relevance of Jain teachings to scientific research and human society, as well as our journey towards understanding ourselves and our place in the universe. ,
Download or read book Making a Mantra written by Ellen Gough and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2021-10-11 with total page 332 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Jainism originated in India and shares some features with Buddhism and Hinduism, but it is a distinct tradition with its own key texts, art, rituals, beliefs, and history. One important way it has often been distinguished from Buddhism and Hinduism is through the highly contested category of Tantra: Jainism, unlike the others, does not contain a tantric path to liberation. But in Making a Mantra, historian of religions Ellen Gough refines and challenges our understanding of Tantra by looking at the development over two millennia of a Jain incantation, or mantra, that evolved from an auspicious invocation in a second-century text into a key component of mendicant initiations and meditations that continue to this day. Typically, Jainism is characterized as a celibate, ascetic path to liberation in which one destroys karma through austerities, while the tantric path to liberation is characterized as embracing the pleasures of the material world, requiring the ritual use of mantras to destroy karma. Gough, however, argues that asceticism and Tantra should not be viewed in opposition to one another. She does so by showing that Jains perform “tantric” rituals of initiation and meditation on mantras and maṇḍalas. Jainism includes kinds of tantric practices, Gough provocatively argues, because tantric practices are a logical extension of the ascetic path to liberation.
Download or read book The A to Z of Jainism written by Kristi L. Wiley and published by Scarecrow Press. This book was released on 2009-06-17 with total page 340 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Jain is the term used for a person who has faith in the teachings of the Jinas ('Spiritual Victors'). Jinas are human beings who have overcome all passions (kasayas) and have attained enlightenment or omniscience (kevala-jnana), who teach the truths they realized to others, and who attain liberation (moksa) from the cycle of rebirth (samsara). At the core of these teachings is nonviolence (ahimsa), which has remained the guiding principle of Jain ethics and practices to this day. In comparison with other religious traditions of South Asia, Jains are few in number, comprising less than one percent of India's population. The lay and mendicant communities of the Jain, however, have maintained an unbroken presence in India for more than 2,500 years and have influenced its culture throughout this time. The A to Z of Jainism covers the history of Jainism that spans a period of more than 2,500 years. The history, values, concepts, and scriptures; eminent mendicant, lay leaders, and scholars; and places, institutions, social, and cultural factors are covered in over 450 dictionary entries. This comprehensive reference work also includes an introductory essay, explanation of the Jain scriptures, chronology, appendixes, and bibliography. This book provides an excellent introduction and overview to Jainism for scholars, students, and general readers.
Download or read book A Comprehensive History of Jainism written by Asim Kumar Chatterjee and published by Calcutta : Firma KLM. This book was released on 1978 with total page 420 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Jains written by Paul Dundas and published by Psychology Press. This book was released on 2002 with total page 372 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This revised and expanded edition takes account of new research into Jainism as carried out over the last ten years."--BOOK JACKET.
Download or read book Mahavira written by Manoj Jain and published by World Wisdom, Inc. This book was released on 2014 with total page 36 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Imagine a world where no one gets hurt, a world where no one is teased or bullied, a world where there is no fear or anger. Six centuries before the birth of Jesus, in the faraway land of India, there lived a great spiritual teacher name Mahavira (which means “very brave”), who imagined just such a world. He showed kindness to every living being and emphasized the practice of nonviolence, compassion, and forgiveness. The religion of Mahavira was called Jainism. Mahavira was born a prince, but because he had such deep love and respect for all living creatures, he renounced his wealth and power to become a wandering monk. The Jain teachings of Mahavira became very popular. He taught three important lessons: that one should have love and compassion for all living things; that one should not be too prideful of one’s own point of view because the truth has many sides; and that one should not be greedy and should avoid attachment to possessions. Today Jainism has more than 10 million adherents throughout the world. In following the example of Mahavira, Jains practice a vegetarian diet and are committed to sound ecological and environmental practices. Mahavira’s lessons on nonviolence and compassion still have a profound impact around the globe, and he is credited with influencing Mahatma Gandhi, who in turn inspired Martin Luther King, Jr. Beautifully brought to life by the delicate paintings of Demi and the powerful yet simple narrative of nationally recognized writer, Manoj Jain, the story of Mahavira’s life will provide a shining example of how one spiritual teacher’s noble ideals can echo throughout the ages.
Download or read book Historical Dictionary of Jainism written by Kristi L. Wiley and published by Scarecrow Press. This book was released on 2004 with total page 344 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When Isaac Newton died in 1727 without a will, he left behind a wealth of papers that, when examined, gave his followers and his family a deep sense of unease. Some of what they contained was wildly heretical and alchemically obsessed, hinting at a Newton altogether stranger and less palatable than the one enshrined in Westminster Abbey as the paragon of English rationality. These manuscripts had the potential to undermine not merely Newton's reputation, but that of the scientific method he embodied. They were immediately suppressed as "unfit to be printed," and, aside from brief, troubling glimpses spread across centuries, the papers would remain hidden from sight for more than seven generations. In The Newton Papers, Sarah Dry illuminates the tangled history of these private writings over the course of nearly three hundred years, from the long span of Newton's own life into the present day. The writings, on subjects ranging from secret alchemical formulas to impassioned rejections of the Holy Trinity, would eventually come to light as they moved through the hands of relatives, collectors, and scholars. The story of their disappearance, dispersal, and rediscovery is populated by a diverse cast of characters who pursued and possessed the papers, from economist John Maynard Keynes to controversial Jewish Biblical scholar Abraham Yahuda. Dry's captivating narrative moves between these varied personalities, depicting how, as they chased the image of Newton through the thickets of his various obsessions, these men became obsessed themselves with the allure of defining the "true" Newton. Dry skillfully accounts for the ways with which Newton's pursuers have approached his papers over centuries. Ultimately, The Newton Papers shows how Newton has been made and re-made throughout history by those seeking to reconcile the cosmic contradictions of an extraordinarily complex man.
Download or read book Jainism written by Natubhai Shah and published by Motilal Banarsidass Publishe. This book was released on 2004 with total page 356 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Last Jews of Kerala written by Edna Fernandes and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2008-06-01 with total page 219 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Two thousand years ago, trade routes and the fall of Jerusalem took Jewish settlers seeking sanctuary across Europe and Asia. One little-known group settled in Kerala, in tropical southwestern India. Eventually numbering in the thousands, with eight synagogues, they prospered. Some came to possess vast estates and plantations, and many enjoyed economic privilege and political influence. Their comfortable lives, however, were haunted by a feud between the Black Jews of Ernakulam and the White Jews of Mattancherry. Separated by a narrow stretch of swamp and the color of their skin, they locked in a rancorous feud for centuries, divided by racism and claims and counterclaims over who arrived first in their adopted land. Today, this once-illustrious people is in its dying days. Centuries of interbreeding and a latter-day Exodus from Kerala after Israel's creation in 1948 have shrunk the population. The Black and White Jews combined now number less than fifty, and only one synagogue remains. On the threshold of extinction, the two remaining Jewish communities of Kerala have come to realize that their destiny, and their undoing, is the same. The Last Jews of Kerala narrates the rise and fall of the Black Jews and the White Jews over the centuries and within the context of the grand history of the Jewish people. It is the story of the twilight days of a people whose community will, within the next generation, cease to exist. Yet it is also a rich tale of weddings and funerals, of loyalty to family and fierce individualism, of desperation and hope.
Download or read book Spirituality A Very Short Introduction written by Philip Sheldrake and published by OUP Oxford. This book was released on 2012-11-29 with total page 152 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It has been suggested that 'spirituality' has become a word that 'can define an era'. Why? Because paradoxically, alongside a decline in traditional religious affiliations, the growing interest in spirituality and the use of the word in a variety of contexts is a striking aspect of contemporary western cultures. Indeed, spirituality is sometimes contrasted attractively with religion, although this is problematic and implies that religion is essentially dogma, moralism, institutions, buildings, and hierarchies. The notion of spirituality expresses the fact that many people are driven by goals that concern more than material satisfaction. Broadly, it refers to the deepest values and sense of meaning by which people seek to live. Sometimes these values are conventionally religious. Sometimes they are associated with what is understood as 'the sacred' in a broader sense - that is, of ultimate rather than merely instrumental importance. This Very Short Introduction, written by one of the most eminent scholars and writers on spirituality, explores the historical foundations of the thought and considers how it came to have the significance it is developing today. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
Download or read book Gods in the Time of Democracy written by Kajri Jain and published by . This book was released on 2021-01-29 with total page 400 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Kajri Jain examines how the monumental statues erected in India following its economic reforms in the 1990s became a favored religious and political form with which to assert cultural, political, religious, and caste power.
