Jains? (beliefs, hell, bible, Sunni, Jainism)

[jimbob]

Why aren't you supposed to kill insects. Forgive my ignorance, but i have never even heard of your religion.

[alex60]

Yes,I have heard that Jains do not eat any crop that's grown sub-terrain,ie onions,garlic,carrots.any specific reason.How do you garnish your food?.What about potatoes.

[Sunstone]

How many Jains are there in the world?

[swatijain]

Well, well, ladies & gentleman. It is nice to meet you all.

I am a Jain. I lived in America for 8 years. Currently I am in Canada; and have been for the past 2 years. I have, always (my whole life) avoided eggs, fish and meat. I've also avoided onions, carrots and garlic. I do slip and eat potatoes at times. And yes, I am quite healthy.

There are different reasons for not eating particular vegetables. i.e. Onion because they tend to increase the (sexual) heat inside the body. Potatoes tend to darken/bring obstacles into life. The general reason for all these "root" vegetables is that they are grown underground (completely), and/or are seeds. i.e. potatoes grow on themselves. There are no seeds for it. So essentially, eating a potato is also eating its "complete" family. However, many of these philosophies make no sense to follow...as the whole point of eating fruits/vegetables over meat/etc. was that you don't have to "kill" plants to eat them. You eat the ones fallen on ground (i.e. already dead).

As for how is it to be around me (a Jain)? Well, my friends tend to avoid eating meat around me. They say it makes them "feel guilty." My closest friends tend to reduce their dosage of meat, though no one avoids eggs. Many of them are quite shocked that I can bake *awesome* brownies and cakes without the eggs or soy or such (use condensed milk!).

Jainism is about the respect of life as well as living by harming as LITTLE as possible. Note that it doesn't say living by harming nothing. It's as little. So at a point, it is OK for a Jain to eat meat. However, Jainism is against doing anything that is not out of "pure necessity." It is quite difficult to be a (true) Jain in this time of life. In fact, it is said, that in this yuva (era) no one is going to achieve salvation.

If anyone has any questions, please feel free to ask.

[michel]

Hi Swatijain, Namaste.

Nice of you to 'drop in' - I am ashamed to say that I had not heard of 'Jain' before; elements of it sound much like Buddhism - the part about not 'killing anything that grows' - which, If I have understood correctly, you subscribe to. I see there is an official Jain website in the U.K as well as in ther States- I will read up on you when I can. Welcome, by the way.

[Kotaro]

I always liked the teachings of Mahavira, I mean could there be a more peaceful sage? Do you revere him in any way besides just acknowledging him as your founder of enlightenment? He was also living the same time as Buddha was, I wonder if they ever met

[Finnyhaha]

Buddhist scriptures attest that some of the first Buddhists were in fact Jains (Nirgranthas as they were then called, meaning "the unbonded ones") who "converted", whom Buddha encouraged to maintain their Jain identity and practices such as giving alms to Jain monks and nuns.

The ethical code of Jainism is taken very seriously. Summarized in the Five Vows, they are followed by both lay people and monastics. These are:

1. non-injury (ahinsa, or ahimsa)
2. non-lying (satya)
3. non-stealing (asteya)
4. chastity (brahmacharya)
5. non-possession (aparigrah)

Jain society is as dualistic as the Jain universe. On the one hand, there are the monks, who practice severe asceticism and strive to make this birth their last. On the other hand, there are the lay people, who pursue less rigorous practices, striving to attain rational faith and do good deeds in this birth. Due to the strict ethics embedded in Jainism, the laity must choose a profession and livelihood that does not involve violence to self and other living beings.

In their effort to attain their highest and most exalted state of beatification (Siddhatva), which is the permanent release of the jiva from all involvement in worldly existence, the Jains believe that no spirit or divine being can assist them in any way. From this viewpoint, Jainism may be termed a non-theistic religion. The Jains consider that gods cannot help the jiva to obtain release. This has to be achieved by individuals through their own efforts.

At approximately 8 to 10 million adherents, Jainism is among the smallest of the major world religions.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jainism

[Pardus]

I am glad to see such a pacifistic religion out there is still in existance.

I am interested tho is there a tendency towards low self-esteem within the belief?

Because it is difficult to care so much about the welfare of other entities without forgetting to care about yourself.

[akshar]

Im not Jain, but i thin they belive in person named Mahavira, who achieved enlightenment, like buddha, and like buddha i think he disagreed wtih the vedas so he went of creating his own religion. Many jain saints kind of walk completely naked and some kids make fun of them, when the saints look at them they become paralysed.

[akshar]

Oh i forgot to say a true jain is a vegan