Jainism Quiz

Notes:
The three guiding principles of Jainism, the ‘three gems’, are right faith, right knowledge, and right conduct. Jainism is derived from the Shramana tradition and its promoters are 24 Tirthankaras, in which the first Tirthankara is Lord Rishabhdev (Adinath) and the last Tirthankara is Mahavir Swami.

Notes:
According to Jain scriptures, Vardhaman Mahavira, the 24th and last Tirthankara founded Jainism as a faith in the 5th or 6th century B.C. The religion derives its name from the jinas (“conquerors”), a title given to twenty-four great teachers (Tirthankara) through whom their faith was revealed.

Notes:
In Jainism the three jewels (also referred to as ratnatraya) are understood as samyagdarshana (“right faith”), samyagjnana (“right knowledge”), and samyakcharitra (“right conduct”). One of the three cannot exist exclusive of the others, and all are required for spiritual liberation.

Notes:
Non-violence (Ahimsa) is the most fundamental among the five principles of Jainism. Lord Mahavira said, “Ahimsa Paramo Dharma”. The other principles included: Truthfulness (Satya), Non-stealing (Achaurya), Celibacy (Brahmacharya) and Non-Possessiveness (Aparigraha).

Notes:
Around the time when Jainism and Buddhism were becoming popular, brahmins developed the system of ashramas. Four ashramas that were recognised built then are: brahmacharya, grihastha, vanaprastha and samnyasa. The system of ashramas allowed men to spend some part of their lives in meditation.

Notes:
In Jainism, the Tirthankara refer to twenty four enlightened spiritual masters who are believed to have achieved perfect knowledge through asceticism. The first tirthankara was Rishabhanatha, the 24th and last tirthankara of present half-cycle was Mahavira (599-527 BC). History records the existence of Mahavira and his predecessor, Parshvanath, the twenty- third tirthankara.

Notes:
Chandragupta Maurya was a disciple of the Jain monk Bhadrabahu. Chandragupta Maurya embraced Jainism after retiring, when he renounced his throne and material possessions to join a wandering group of Jain monks. It is said that in his last days, he observed the rigorous but self-purifying Jain ritual of santhara (fast unto death), at Shravanabelagola in Karnataka.

Notes:
In Jainism, a Tirthankara is a saviour and spiritual teacher of the dharma. Vardhamana Mahavira was the last Tirthankara of Jainism. He was the 24th Tirthankara. He was born in Vaishali around 6th century BC.

Notes:
Sacred book of Jainism is called Agamas. The Jain agamas are works of the immediate disciples of Mahavir.The first sacred books of the Jain are in Prakrit or Ardhamagdhi language. They were given their written form in the fifth century at
Vallabhi, in Gujarat.

Notes:
Magadha was a region in the present day Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, West Bengal and the nations of Bangladesh and Nepal and formed one of the sixteen Mahajanapadas. The ancient kingdom of Magadha is frequently mentioned in Jain and Buddhist texts. Magadha kingdom helped in the development of Jainism and Buddhism. Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, lived much of his life in Magadha kingdom. The culture of Magadha was   different from the Vedic kingdoms of the Indo-Aryans. The people in the Magadha empire used to follow Sramana traditions which included Jainism, Buddhism and Ajivika. They did not believe in worshipping the Vedic deities. They practiced some form of asceticism, meditation and tended to construct round burial mounds which are called stupas in Buddhism.