Jai Jinendra - Jainism, Jain Religion - colleges

Jai Jinendra 

The JAINA Education Committee is pleased to present the Jain Education Series books for Levels 

1 to 4. A great deal of effort has been taken for the preparation new material and the revision of 

the existing material. Much care has also been taken to present Jainism in a non-sectarian way. 

However the committee members who prepared the topics or made the revisions are Jain Pathshala 

teachers and not the Jain scholars. Hence you may find some errors and also certain items may be 

applicable to one Jain sect and not applicable to other sects of Jainism. Please use the material 

objectively and provide positive suggestions so that we can easily incorporate them in the future 

revisions. 

The JAINA Education Series is divided into a total of 9 different texts: 

Sr Level Age Num Jaina Education Series Books 

01 L1 5-9 JES-A1 Jain Coloring Book 

02 L1 5-9 JES-A2 Jain Dot to Dot Book 

03 L1 5-9 JES-A3 Jain Alphabets 

04 L1 5-9 JES-A4 Jain Moral Skits 

05 L2 10-12 JES-B1 Jain Sutras and Stavans * 

07 L2 10-12 JES-B2 Jain Story Book 

06 L2 10-12 JES-B3 Basics of Jainism I 

08 L2 10-12 JES-B4 Basics of Jainism II 

09 L3 13-15 JES-C1 Basics of Jainism III * 

10 L3 13-15 JES-C2 Jain Philosophy and Practice I 

11 L4 16 up JES-D1 Jain Philosophy and Practice II 

*Note – Two books, Jain Sutras and Stavan (JES-B1) and Basics of Jainism III (JES-C1) are in 

process of being prepared. They are not included in this version of CD. 

A lot of minds, and a lot of blessings, directly and indirectly, have touched this noble project. We 

sincerely appreciate and thank every person who made this project successful. It is only our 

sincere wish that this material will be helpful to all, from the youngest youth to the oldest adult. As 

always, if you have any suggestions for improvement, please feel free to contact us. 

If we have mentioned anything against the teachings of the Tirthankaras, we ask for forgiveness. 

Michhami Dukkadam. 

Thank You and Jai Jindendra! 

The JAINA Education Committee 

______________________________________________________ 

Pravin K. Shah, Chairperson 

Jaina Education Committee 

Federation of Jain Associations in North America 

Pkshah1@attglobal.net 

919-859-4994 

509 Carriage Woods Circle 

Raleigh, NC 27607-3969 USA

Basics Of Jainism II 

JAINA Education Series B4 

LESSON 1 – JAIN PRAYER...........................................................................................................5 

LESSON 2 – LIVING AND NON-LIVING (JIV AND AJIV).....................................................7 

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LESSON 3 – JIV .............................................................................................................................12 

LESSON 4 – SOUL (ÄTMÄ) .........................................................................................................16 

LESSON 5 - WHO AM I? ..............................................................................................................17 

LESSON 6 - AJIV ...........................................................................................................................19 

LESSON 7 - SENSES......................................................................................................................20 

LESSON 8 - THE COMPASSION OF LORD PÄRSHVANATH .............................................26 

LESSON 9 – NIRAV TALKS ABOUT JAINISM .......................................................................28 

LESSON 10 - WHO IS RIGHT? ...................................................................................................30 

LESSON 11 - MAHATMA GANDHI AND TRUTH ..................................................................31 

LESSON 12 - THE LION AND THE HERD OF GOATS..........................................................33 

LESSON 13 - JAIN FUNDAMENTALS.......................................................................................35 

LESSON 14 – FRIENDLINESS (MAITRI BHAVANA) ............................................................36 

LESSON 15 – WHAT IS SWASTIKA..........................................................................................38 

LESSON 16 - JAINISM, THE COMPASSIONATE RELIGION..............................................40 

LESSON 17- SPIRITUAL TEACHERS.......................................................................................41 

LESSON 18 - PRACTICING NON-VIOLENCE AND COMPASSION...................................44 

LESSON 19 - GOING TO PÄTHASHÄLÄ .................................................................................45 

LESSON 20- BE GENTLE AND HELPFUL ...............................................................................47 

LESSON 21 - TRUE MONKS .......................................................................................................48 

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LESSON 22 - LORD MAHÄVIR ..................................................................................................49 

LESSON 23 - SAGE KAPIL..........................................................................................................52 

LESSON 24 - TRUE LEARNING.................................................................................................55 

LESSON 25 – PARYUSHAN – A FESTIVAL OF FORGIVENESS.........................................57 

LESSON 26 - ARIHANTA.............................................................................................................58 

LESSON 27 - RESPECT ................................................................................................................61 

LESSON 28 - MONKEY AND SUGARI......................................................................................63 

LESSON 29 – THE STORY OF SILK..........................................................................................64 

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LESSON 1 - JAIN PRAYER 

Teacher: 

Today we are going to talk about a Jain Prayer. You are familiar with various prayers 

we sing on different occasions. Among all of them "Namokär Mantra" or Navakär 

Mantra is the most important prayer for all Jains. 

"NAMOKÄR MANTRA" is the prayer that shows our respect for those souls who 

are liberated as well as to those who are on the path to Liberation. More importantly, 

it reminds us to use these examples and actively steer our lives to the path of 

liberation. 

Can anyone recite the Namokär Mantra? 

Sejal: 

Teacher: 

Sejal: 

Kanu: 

Teacher: 

All: 

Yes, I can recite Namokär Mantra. My mother taught me. 

Namo Arihantänam 

Namo Siddhänam 

Namo Äyariyänam 

Namo Uvajjhäyänam 

Namo Loe Savva Sähunam 

Sejal, this is very good. You said it without any mistake. Do you know that many 

Jains recite it with four additional lines? 

No sir. 

Can we recite Namokär mantra with nine lines together? 

O.K., let’s do that. Then we will also talk about it’s meaning. 

Namo Arihantänam 

Namo Siddhänam 

Namo Äyariyänam 

Namo Uvajjhäyänam 

Namo Loe Savva Sähunam 

Eso Pancha Namukkäro 

Savva-Pävappanäsano 

Manglänancha Savvesim 

Padhamam Havai Mangalam. 

Teacher: 

Teacher: 

Now, I am going to tell you the meaning of the Namokär Mantra. 

NAMO ARIHANTÄNAM 

I bow to Arihantas 

(to conquer my weaknesses and to reflect inwardly in meditation). 

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NAMO SIDDHÄNAM 

I bow to Siddhas 

(to reach the state of perfection and attain liberation). 

NAMO ÄYARIYÄNAM 

I bow to Ächäryas 

(to control my passions and to become compassionate). 

NAMO UVAJJHÄYÄNAM 

I bow to Upädhyäy 

(to be enlightened thru knowledge and meditation). 

NAMO LOE SAVVA SÄHUNAM 

I bow to all Sädhus and Sädhvis 

(in order to live my life in simplicity) 

ESO PANCHA NAMUKKÄRO 

I bow to all the five 

SAVVA PÄVA PANÄSANO 

Which destroy all the sins 

MANGLÄNANCHA SAVVESIM 

Amongst all that is auspicious 

PADHAMAM HAVAI MANGALAM 

Namokär Mantra is the most auspicious mantra. 

Teacher: 

Arihantas, Siddhas, Ächäryas, Upädhyäys and Sädhus and Sädhvijis are also collectively 

known as Pancha Parameshti in Jain religion. We should make continuous efforts to be 

like them. Everyday in the morning and before we go to bed, we should pray as a 

reminder to us of our goal to be a better individual. We must remember that prayers are 

not for gaining the grace of Gods or Goddesses, or for good luck. They are used as an 

inspirational tool and also as a precursor to meditation. 

Questions: 

1) What is the most popular Jain prayer? 

2) Can you recite that prayer? 

3) Can you give the meaning of the prayer? 

4) Who are the five supreme beings in Jainism? 

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LESSON 2 - Living and Non-Living (Jiv and Ajiv) 

(Teacher is putting something on the table) 

Teacher: 

Ravi, what is this? 

Ravi: 

Teacher: 

Ravi: 

Teacher: 

Neela: 

Teacher: 

Ramesh: 

Teacher: 

Ramesh: 

Teacher: 

Sir, this is a baby doll. 

Right. Can this doll walk by itself? 

No, it cannot walk at its own wish, but I can make it look as if it is walking. 

Neela, can this doll see with its eyes? 

No, it cannot see with those eyes. 

Ramesh, can it sing? 

How can it sing when it cannot even talk? 

Well, it has ears so it should be able to hear us. 

(Laughing) Sir, it cannot hear or understand what we are talking about. 

Komal, can it eat since it has mouth? 

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Komal: 

Teacher: 

Chetan: 

Teacher: 

Children: 

Teacher: 

Ravi: 

Teacher: 

Ravi: 

Teacher: 

Ravi: 

Teacher: 

No, it cannot eat or drink. 

Chetan, will it cry, if I drop it from the table? 

No, it will not cry. 

You all have given good answers. Do you all agree that this doll cannot walk, see, 

eat, or hear like we can? 

Yes sir, we all agree. 

What is the reason for this? What is the difference between the baby doll and us? 

Ravi, do you know? 

We are real people, while the baby doll is only a toy. 

Ravi, can you tell me what "real people" mean to you? 

(Scratches his head and does not answer) 

There is a big difference between toys and real people. Those who have one or 

more of the senses like touch, taste, smell, seeing, and hearing or feel pain and 

pleasure are known as living beings (Jiv). Those who have none of these senses 

are known as non-living objects or things (Ajiv). So now, Ravi, can you tell me 

the difference between the doll and us? 

Yes, since the doll cannot hear, talk, or feel pain and pleasure, it is a non-living 

thing (Ajiv). As we can talk, see, hear, and feel pain and pleasure, we are called 

living beings (Jiv). 

Very good, Ravi. Now you understand it correctly. Children, listen carefully, I am 

going to explain more about living and non-living objects. 

Anything which has the ability to know, learn, understand, feel pain and pleasure, 

or has various senses is known as a living being (Jiv). We can learn, know, 

understand, feel pain and pleasure, and we have five senses, so we are living 

beings. 

Anything, which does not have the senses to know, understand, feel pain, and 

pleasure, or does not have any senses is called non-living thing (Ajiv). Therefore, 

this doll is a non-living thing 

Teacher 

Komal, the bench on which you are sitting on, is living or non-living? 

8

Komal: 

Teacher: 

Komal: 

Teacher: 

A bench is a non-living thing because it does not know, understand, or feel the pain 

of my weight. 

Komal is right. Now, what happens when you get an "A" on your test? 

I feel happy, because I have feelings. 

Ravi, can you name some examples of non-living objects around us. 

Ravi: 

Teacher: 

Books, table, chairs, pen, clock, and ruler are all non-living objects. 

Neela, can you name some living beings? 

9

Neela: 

Teacher: 

Children: 

Teacher: 

Yes. plant, dog, cat, cow, rabbit, parrot, lion, elephant, fish, chicken, insects, trees, 

grass, crops, and, human beings are all living beings. 

Children, do you have any questions? 

No sir, now we understand the difference between living beings and non-living 

things. 

Before we finish this class, I would like to remind you to be good to each other 

because everyone feels pain and pleasure. 

Let me give you homework. I would like everyone to write down the names of 

twenty living beings and twenty non-living things for our next class. 

Questions: 

What does Jiv mean? 

What does Ajiv mean? 

Can you name fifteen examples of Jiv? 

Can you name fifteen example of Ajiv? 

Circle whether the following sentences are true or false. 

A bench can talk. 

A lion cannot breath. 

An Ajiv has no senses. 

A doll can eat by itself. 

A ball can feel pain. 

True or False 

True or False 

True or False 

True or False 

True or False 

10

A man can learn. 

True or False 

1. Tell whether the following are Jiv or Ajiv: 

Lion 

Bench 

Doll 

Fish 

Dog 

Ball 

Chicken 

Cat 

Chair 

Parrot 

Books 

Clock 

___________ 

___________ 

___________ 

___________ 

___________ 

___________ 

___________ 

___________ 

___________ 

___________ 

___________ 

___________ 

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LESSON 3 - JIV 

I AM EARTH. 

I AM A LIVING BEING. 

I HAVE ONLY ONE SENSE. 

THIS SENSE IS TOUCH. 

I AM WATER. 




I AM FIRE. 




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I AM AIR. 




I AM A PLANT. 




WE ARE VEGETABLES. 

WE ARE LIVING BEINGS. 

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WE HAVE ONLY ONE SENSE. 


WE ARE TWO-SENSED LIVING 

BEINGS. 


WE HAVE TWO SENSES. 

THESE TWO SENSES ARE TOUCH AND 

TASTE. 

WE ARE THREE-SENSED LIVING 

BEINGS. 


WE HAVE THREE SENSES. 

THESE THREE SENSES ARE 

TOUCH, TASTE, AND SMELL. 

WE ARE FOUR-SENSED LIVING BEINGS. 


WE HAVE FOUR SENSES. 

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THESE FOUR SENSES ARE 

TOUCH, TASTE, SMELL AND, SIGHT. 

WE ARE FIVE-SENSED LIVING 

BEINGS. 


WE HAVE ALL FIVE SENSES, 

TOUCH, TASTE, SMELL, SIGHT 

AND, HEARING. 

Questions: 

Which sense do one-sensed living beings have? 

Give some examples of one-sensed living beings? 

Which senses do two-sensed living beings have? 

Give some examples of two-sensed living beings? 

Which senses do three-sensed living being have? 

Give some examples of three-sensed living beings? 

Which senses do four-sensed living being have? 

Give some examples of four-sensed living beings? 

Which senses do five-sensed living being have? 

Give some examples of five-sensed living beings? 

What are the different groups of five-sensed living beings? 

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LESSON 4 - SOUL (Ätmä) 

I AM A SOUL. ALL SOULS ARE EQUAL 

I LIVE IN MY BODY 

I NEVER DIE. 

I CAN NOT BE SEEN. 

I HAVE INFINITE KNOWLEDGE. 

I HAVE INFINITE PERCEPTION. 

I HAVE INFINITE ENERGY. 

I AM IN AN EVERLASTING BLISSFUL STATE. 

I NEED A BODY TO LIVE IN. 

THE BODY AND I ARE TWO SEPARATE THINGS. 

THE BODY CANNOT SEE, THINK, OR FEEL WITHOUT ME. 

I AM CAPABLE OF ATTAINING MOKSHA. 

WHEN I AM IN MOKSHA, I AM LIBERATED AND DO NOT NEED A BODY TO LIVE. 

Questions: 

1) Where does a soul live before Moksha? 

2) Is a soul visible? Or Can anyone see soul? 

3) What kind of powers does a soul have? 

4) Are the body and the soul the same? 

5) Can a body see, think, or feel without a soul? 

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LESSON 5 - WHO AM I? 

I AM A JIV (LIVING BEING). 

I AM A FISH 

I LIVE IN WATER. 

I CAN SWIM. 

I HAVE ALL FIVE SENSES 

TOUCH, TASTE, SMELL, SIGHT AND, 

HEARING. 

I AM A JIV. 

I AM A COW 

I LIVE IN A FARM. 

I EAT GRASS. I GIVE MILK. 


TOUCH, TASTE, SMELL, SIGHT AND, HEARING 

I AM A JIV. 

I AM A FLOWER. 

I GROW ON A PLANT. 

I SMELL GOOD. 

I HAVE ONLY ONE SENSE, TOUCH. 

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I AM A JIV. 

I AM A MAN. 

I CAN MOVE. I CAN FEEL. I CAN PLAY. 

I HAVE THE POWER TO LEARN. 

I LOVE MY NEIGHBORS. 

I HAVE FIVE SENSES 

TOUCH, TASTE, SMELL, SIGHT AND, HEARING. 

I AM A JIV. 

I AM A BIRD. 

I FLY. 

I BUILD A NEST IN A TREE. 


TOUCH, TASTE, SMELL, SIGHT AND, 

HEARING. 

Questions: 

1) How many senses does a fish have? 

2) How many senses does a cow have? 

3) How many senses does a flower have? 

4) How many senses does a butterfly have? 

5) How many senses does a snail have? 

6) How many senses does a shell have? 

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LESSON 6 - AJIV 

I SEE A BOX ON THE TABLE. 

THE BOX DOES NOT HAVE ANY SENSE. 

IT DOES NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO LEARN. 

IT CANNOT MOVE BY ITSELF. 

THE BOX IS CALLED AJIV (NON-LIVING BEING). 

Questions: 

Is the box Jiv or Ajiv? 

How many senses does the box have? 

What are the things that the box cannot do? 

Can you give fifteen more examples of Ajivas (non-living being)? 

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LESSON 7 - Senses 

Teacher: 

Can anyone hold a piece of ice for a long time? 

Komal: 

Teacher: 

I can hold it, but not for a long time because my fingers will get cold. 

O.K. Is there anyone here who can hold his hands over a fire for a while? 

Bharati: 

Teacher: 

No way! The fire is too hot and we can get burnt! 

Right! Now can anyone tell me how much a football or a tennis ball weigh? 

20

Mohan: 

Teacher: 

(Holding out both balls), I cannot tell you the exact weight but foot ball is 

heavier than tennis ball. 

Good. Has anyone ever slept on a wooden bench before? 

Dinesh: 

Teacher: 

Ravi: 

Teacher: 

I have! It is difficult to sleep on it for very long. 

I agree with you. Can anyone tell me how do we know that how cold the ice is, 

how hot the fire is, how heavy a football is, and how hard a bench is? 

I do. We can feel ice, fire, a football, and a bench. 

Children remember that this ability to feel is also called a sense. We can feel 

cold, hot, heavy, dry, wet, smooth, hard, etc., by touching so we call it the sense 

of touch. Through our skin, we can feel different things. The touch is our first 

sense. 

Has anyone here ever tasted ice-cream? 

Jateen: 

Sir, I am sure all of us have. It tastes sweet. I love ice-cream! 

21

Teacher: 

Rakesh: 

Can someone tell me what orange juice tastes like? 

Orange juice is tart. 

Teacher: 

Rakesh: 

Teacher: 

And how did you get that idea? 

I've tasted orange juice with my tongue, and it tasted that way. 

Children, with sense of taste we can tell if things are sweet, sour, bitter, or 

spicy, etc. So the taste sense is our second sense. The tongue can taste different 

things. 

Mina, can you tell us how do you decide which perfume to buy? 

Mina: 

Teacher: 

Teacher: 

It is easy. I smell them and I buy the fragrance that I like. 

Listen children, due to the sense of smell, we can tell whether a particular smell 

is pleasant or unpleasant. Our nose helps us decide this. Smell is our third sense. 

Koyal, what is the color of the sky? 

22

Koyal: 

Teacher: 

Bharati: 

Teacher: 

Neela: 

Teacher: 

Ravi: 

Teacher: 

Ravi: 

Teacher: 

Sir, it is blue. 

Bharati, what is the color of your chain and ring? 

Sir, the chain is golden and the ring is silver. 

Neela, can you tell me how people know the colors of these things? 

We can see colors with our eyes. 

You are right. Remember due to our visual sense we can see various colors and 

shapes. So sight is our fourth sense and eyes help us to see everything around 

us. 

(There is a lot of noise outside the window) 

Sir, can we take a break? 

Why? 

All the noise from outside makes it hard to hear what you say. 

What kind of noise do you hear? 

23

Ravi: 

Teacher: 

Ravi: 

Teacher: 

We hear the noise from a band, screaming children, and cars. 

How can you tell that these are all different noise? 

Sir, with my ears I can make out different noise. 

Right, Ravi. Remember that because of our ears, we can hear different noise 

and can tell where they come from. Hearing is our fifth and last sense. 

Thus, there are five senses in all. 

Now you know that we feel with our skin, taste with our tongue, smell with our 

nose, see with our eyes, and hear with our ears. We all have five senses. 

So human beings are the five-sensed living beings. 

Komal: 

Teacher: 

Sir, do all living beings in the world have all the five senses like us? 

Can anyone answer that? 

(Silence in the class) 

24

Teacher: 

No. Some living beings have five senses like us, while others have four, three, 

two, or one sense. Just like us, animals and birds have five senses. Insects may 

have four, three, or two senses and plants have only one sense. 

Ekendriya means one-sensed Jiv (living being). 

Beindriya means two-sensed Jiv (living being). 

Treindriya means three-sensed Jiv (living being). 

Chaurindriya means four-sensed Jiv (living being). 

Panchendriya means five-sensed Jiv (living being). 

We are very lucky that we have all the five senses. So we should be very careful 

how we use them. 

Questions: 

What does a sense mean? 

How many senses are there? 

Can you name all the senses? 

What is the least number of senses a Jiv (living being) can have? 

Which is the highest number of senses a Jiv (living being) can have? 

1. How many senses do Ajiv (non-living being) have? 

Match the followings: 

Ekendriya 

Beindriya 

Treindriya 

Chaurindriya 

Panchendriya 

Three senses 

Five senses 

One senses 

Four senses 

Two senses 

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LESSON 8 - THE COMPASSION OF LORD PÄRSHVANÄTH 

Once a hermit named Kamath was performing a sacrificial ritual near the outskirts of a town. He 

was wearing a single piece of cloth and had ashes rubbed all over his body. The sun was shining 

and it was very hot. The hermit had also lighted a sacrificial fire all around him. All the people 

from the town came in big groups to see his amazing performance. They were bowing down to 

Kamath with reverence. Kamath blessed them all in return. 

Seeing groups of people, going to see Kamath’s performance, Prince Pärshvanäth became curious 

to see what was going on. So he also went there. He was surprised by hermit's performance. Soon, 

with his superpower, prince Pärshvanäth noticed a snake burning in the fire. Prince Pärshvanäth 

felt sorry for the hermit who was unknowingly indulging in gross violence. Prince Pärshvanäth 

said, "Oh Hermit, what are you doing? Do you realize that there is a snake burning in the fire? You 

are performing a sinful ritual.” 

After hearing these words, the hermit became very angry. He shouted, "Oh naughty child, You are 

very rude. You know nothing about this holy ritual.." 

Prince Pärshvanäth ignored the hermit. He asked his servant to pull the log out from the burning 

fire and split it open. To everyone's surprise, a half burnt snake fell out of the log. The hermit was 

ashamed. His face turned pale. 

The Prince recited the Namokär Mantra for the dying snake. The snake thanked the Prince in his 

mind and died peacefully while listening Namokär Mantra. Due to the snake's serenity while 

listening to Namokär Mantra, he was reborn as Dharanendra, the king of heavenly gods. 

26

All the people left the scene thinking about the undesirable ritual of the hermit. Kamath felt 

disgraced and left with anger and hatred towards the prince. Kamath soon died without repenting 

for his anger and hatred towards the prince. Since he had some good karmas, he was reborn as a 

heavenly god whose function is to control the rain. He is known as Meghkumar. 

Prince Pärshvanäth became the king of the city of 

Väränasi. After a few years he renounced his 

worldly life and became a monk. Once, while he 

was standing in meditation, the angel Meghkumar 

saw him. Because of his anger towards 

Pärshvanäth during his previous life, 

Meghkumar's anger knew no bounds. He decided 

to take the revenge. He caused lots of physical 

tortures to monk Pärshvanäth. But, Pärshvanäth 

was in deep meditation and was not disturbed. 

This made Meghkumar furious. He created 

thunder, lightning and, heavy rain. The water 

began to flood. Its level started to rise. 

At that time the throne of Dharanendra (king of 

heavenly gods) began to shake. He made use of 

his special power to see what was happening. He 

saw monk Pärshvanäth, being harassed by 

Meghkumar. He came to the earth in the form of 

a multi-headed snake. He spread his hoods over the monk like an umbrella and protected him from 

the heavy pouring of the rain. He asked Meghkumar in anger, "Oh, atrocious creature, do you 

know what you are doing? Why are you acquiring more sins by causing Pärshvanäth to suffer? 

Now stop this havoc!" The monk was so deep in meditation that he did not even know what was 

going on. 

Meghkumar was frightened by Dharanendra's anger and instantly removed all the water. He asked 

for forgiveness from the Pärshvanäth and then left. Shortly after that incident Pärshvanäth attained 

omniscience and became the twenty-third Tirthankar of the present era. 

Questions: 

1) What was Kamath doing? 

2) Why did Prince Pärshvanäth ask his servant to pull out the log from the fire? 

3) Why did the snake become a heavenly angel in the next life? 

4) Why did Meghkumar pour heavy rain on Pärshvanäth? 

5) What did Dharanendra do? Why? 

6) What did Meghkumar do to the monk before he left? 

27

LESSON 9 - NIRAV TALKS ABOUT JAINISM 

Teacher 

Nirav 

Sam 

Nirav 

Pedro 

Nirav 

Teacher 

Nirav 

Sarah 

Nirav 

Teacher 

Nirav 

Today is a diversity day. We are going to talk about diversity within us and around the 

world. Nirav, would you like to talk about your culture and your beliefs to the class? 

Sure, my parents came from India. India has a very rich history and culture. 

So are you a Hindu? 

No Sam, I am a Jain so, I practice Jainism. 

What is that? I have never heard of it. Do you believe in God? 

We Jains are the follower of ‘Jina’ the victors. They are victors over their own inner 

weaknesses like anger, ego, greed, deceit etc… Jainism is one of the oldest religions in the 

world, with over 5,000 years of known history. Jains do believe in God but not as a creator or 

controller. We believe that every soul in its purest form is God. 

I am a little confused. I read somewhere that Lord Mahävir started Jainism around 600 BC. 

Wasn’t he the contemporary of Buddha? 

You are partially correct. Lord Mahävir was the elder contemporary of Buddha. But he was 

24 th and last Tirthankar (teacher) in this time cycle. Jainism existed long before him. Sadly 

many books have very limited, even incorrect information on Jainism. 

Do you have a ‘Bible’? 

Jain scriptures are in many books. Collectively they are called ‘Ägams’. 

This is very interesting. Can you tell the class what are the main principles of Jainism? 

Ahimsä, Aparigraha and Anekäntväda. Let me explain in detail. 

Ahimsä means non-violence in thoughts, words and in acts. Jains believe that all life forms 

have a soul and have right to live. Hence, Jains show compassion towards all living beings. 

Vegetarianism, respecting and protecting environment, being kind and respectful to others 

are some of the ways Jains practice this principle. 

Aparigraha means non-attachment. Jains believe that attachment to material things, or even 

to people can lead to anger, ego, greed, jealousy etc, which are the root cause of all our 

problems. Practice of non-attachment leads to peace and balance in our lives. 

Anekäntväda means many sidedness of reality or multiplicity of viewpoint or non- 

28

absolutism. Jains believe that all knowledge is multisided and true only from a single point of 

view. There may be many other viewpoints that are equally valid. Understanding this creates 

greater tolerance, friendship and harmony in our lives. This principle alone can resolve all 

conflicts and bring peace in this world. 

Teacher 

Wow Nirav, this was great. We learned a lot today. Jainism sure seems like a great religion. 

Thank you for sharing this with the class. 

Questions: 

What are Jain scriptures called? 

Why do Jains practice Ahimsä? 

What does Aparigraha mean? 

What Jain principle can be used for conflict resolution? 

29

LESSON 10 - WHO IS RIGHT? 

How many times have we come across situations where we argue among ourselves and hurt others? 

Have you ever thought that someone else can be right? If we try to understand what someone else 

is saying, many of our problems can be resolved. 

Anil asked his sister Rita, to get him a coke at dinner. Rita only gave him half a glass as a joke. 

Anil was very mad and threw a fit saying the glass was half empty. The word empty annoyed Rita, 

and she screamed back, "No glass is half full." Soon they started fighting. Anil and Rita told their 

parents why they were screaming. Their mother said, "Both of you are right. Anil is looking at the 

empty part of the glass and Rita is looking at its filled part." They were both happy when they 

realized that they were both right. 

If we accept the fact that someone else has a right to have his/her opinion, we can avoid many 

quarrels. Lord Mahävir said that every thing can be seen from seven different ways (aspects) and 

there is truth in every aspect, though it may be only a partial truth of the overall truth. Lord 

Mahävir' preached about Anekäntväda or multiplicity of viewpoints. When we accept this style of 

thinking, we become tolerant of other views and our life is much happier. This lets different people 

with different ideologies live together with respect for one another. 

So the next time your friend says something that you do not agree with, give him a chance to tell 

his side of the story. You may be surprised and think, "He is right too!" 

Questions: 

Why did Anil and Rita fight? 

What did Anil and Rita's mother tell them? 

What does Anekäntväda mean? 

How does Anekäntväda help us? 

30

LESSON 11 - MAHATMA GANDHI AND TRUTH 

You have heard the name of Mahatma Gandhi. He is considered the father of the nation of India 

just as George Washington is the father of America. Out of respect for him, we call him Gandhiji. 

His father's name was Karamchand Gandhi and mother's name was Putlibai. He was born in 

Porbandar in the state of Gujarat, India. 

His mother was very religious. Gandhiji too was very religious. Once a group of people came to 

perform a drama in Porbandar. It was about the ancient King Harishchandra who insisted on 

truthfulness all the time. Gandhiji saw how much Harishchandra had to suffer to be truthful. This 

caused a lasting impression on Gandhiji. He decided that he would also always tell the truth. Soon 

truth became his way of life. He made up his mind that even if the truth led him to trouble, he 

would never lie. 

One day, his father gave him a book about Shravan who was extremely devoted to his parents. 

Gandhiji read the entire book. He saw a picture in which Shravan was carrying his parents on his 

shoulders since both of them were blind, and wanted to go to all the holy places. Gandhiji decided 

that he would also take care of his parents. 

Gandhiji father followed Hindu religion and mother followed Jain religion. When his father went 

to the temple, he took Gandhiji with him. When Jain monks visited their house, they discussed 

religious matters and Gandhiji attentively listened. Leaders of other religions also visited them and 

they discussed their religions. Gandhiji was thus exposed to various religions in his early life. 

31

Gandhiji was also vegetarian. When he decided to go to Europe to study law, his mother told him, 

"My son, since you are going abroad, make sure that you never drink alcohol, eat meat, or indulge 

in gambling." Gandhiji gave promise to his mother to abide by her wish and took a vow in the 

presence of a Jain monk that he would never drink alcohol, eat meat, or resort to gambling. 

Gandhiji used to say, "If someone is kind and generous to us, we should return that favor; but we 

should be kind and generous even to those who do not possess those qualities." 

Questions: 

1) Who was Mahatma Gandhi? 

2) What drama had a big impact on his life? 

3) What did he decide after seeing the drama? 

4) What types of visitors used to visit his house? 

5) What promise did Gandhiji give to his mother before he went to Europe? 

32

Lesson 12 - The Lion and The Herd of Goats 

Once upon a time, a shepherd found the newly born lion's cub. He took it home, fed it with goat's 

milk, and bred it with his herd of goats. Consequently, though it was a lion, it always moved, ate, 

and drank like a goat. The cub thought he was a goat. 

One day, the cub went to the forest with the goats. At the forest, a new lion appeared who roared as 

usual. All the goats got scared and began to run away. The cub also began to run. The lion of the 

forest saw the cub and said, "Hello brother, goats flee when I roar, but why do you run away? 

You are like me, a lion." The cub that was brought up with the goats said, "You are lying. I am not 

a lion. I am a goat. I am afraid of you and I want to run away." 

The lion realized that the cub had stayed with the goats and thought he was a goat. The lion said, 

"Friend, am I wrong? If my gigantic body makes you think that way, then you are mistaken. Your 

face is also round like mine. It is not long like a goat's. Your waist is as slender as my waist, and 

your feet have paws not hoofs like those of a goat. Look at your beautiful tail! The goat has a very 

tiny, ugly tail. You possess a mane on your neck. The goat does not. The goat and the lion are 

two entirely different animals. Cast aside your false impression and roar like me. Then you will be 

sure that you are a lion and not a goat." 

These words clarified the cub's doubt. He roared and began to think of himself as a lion. He 

started living the life of a lion. 

33

Like the cub we have been wrongly staying in tune with our physical self. We should remember 

that the physical body does not constitute our true "Self." Our soul has infinite capacity. We 

should develop and manifest our capabilities with this idea in mind. To achieve such 

developments, we should try to stay away from the worldly attachments. 

Questions: 

1) Why the cub was raised by the shepherd? 

2) What happened to the cub when the lion roared? 

3) What did the lion tell the cub? 

4) How does this story affect our lives? 

34

LESSON 13 - JAIN FUNDAMENTALS 

JAIN PRINCIPLES WERE PREACHED BY THE TIRTHANKARS. 

MAHÄVIR SWÄMI IS THE TWENTY-FOURTH AND LAST TIRTHANKAR. 

HE ATTAINED KEVALJNÄN THROUGH RIGHT KNOWLEDGE, RIGHT PERCEPTION 

AND, RIGHT CONDUCT. 

HE PREACHED US JAIN RELIGION 

ALL LIVING BEINGS HAVE A SOUL AND ALL SOULS ARE EQUAL AND CAPABLE OF 

ATTAINING LIBERATION. HENCE, WE MUST RESPECT ALL LIVING BEINGS. 

WE SHOULD MINIMIZE VIOLENCE IN OUR DAILY LIFE (AHIMSÄ). 

WE SHOULD ALWAYS TELL THE TRUTH (SATYA). 

WE SHOULD NOT TAKE THINGS THAT DO NOT BELONG TO US (ACHAURYA). 

WE SHOULD CONTROL OUR DESIRES (BRAHMACHARYA). 

WE SHOULD BE CONTENT AND LIMIT OUR NEEDS, DESIRES, AND POSSESSIONS 

(APARIGRAHA). 

WE SHOULD BE RESPECTFUL OF OTHERS’ VIEW POINTS (ANEKÄNTVÄDA). 

WE SHOULD BE FRIENDLY AND HELPFUL TO OTHERS (MAITRI). 

Questions: 

Who taught us the Jain principles? 

Who is Lord Mahävir? 

How did Lord Mahävir attain perfect knowledge? 

What did he teach us about the soul? 

What is the main principle of Jainism? 

How does Jainism teach us to live with others? 

35

LESSON 14 - FRIENDLINESS (MAITRI BHÄVANÄ) 

Father: 

Ramesh: 

Father: 

Ramesh: 

Father: 

Ramesh: 

Father: 

Ramesh: 

Father: 

Ramesh: 

Ramesh, do you like your friends? 

Of course daddy. Everybody likes his or her friends. 

Why? 

Because, all friends love each other. If my friends know that I need help, 

they will help me. Daddy can you tell me how I can make more friends? 

Son, you like those who help you and love you. Similarly other kids are 

looking for help and love. When you meet kids in your school or in the 

neighborhood, you should be nice to them. You should help them. Then, 

they will become your friends. It is not always necessary that you have to 

help someone so they will be your friends. Even if you praise the good work 

that they have done, you can also make new friends. You should not 

badmouth anyone and you should not be jealous of anyone. You should 

always wish good for everyone. 

If you see a kid in our neighborhood who is sad or depressed, you should 

comfort him and offer him your help. If your classmate is doing bad in 

school, you should help him bring his grades up. These are some things that 

will help you make more friends. But you have to be careful when you 

make friends. 

Daddy, what should I be careful about? 

You should be careful about selecting your friends. For example, you do not 

want to have a friendship with people who use drugs, who are bullies, or 

who are arrogant. We should not hate these people, but we should not be 

friends with them either. We should stay away from people who have bad 

habits. 

Can you tell me what a good friend is? 

A good friend helps his friends in need. He loves and admires his friends. He 

appreciates the good work done by his friends and whenever he gets a 

chance he praises it. A good friend keeps his friends away from bad 

activities. He only supports things, which are beneficial to others. A good 

friend forgives others for their mistakes. He wishes good for everybody. So 

make sure that you are such a friend and stay in the company of good 

friends. 

Yes, father. I will try to be a good friend to everyone. 

Questions: 

What does friendship mean? 

What are some different things that you can do to make friends? 

What kind of friends do you not want to have? 

What are the qualities of a good friend? 

36

LESSON 15 - WHAT IS SWASTIKA 

(Siddha -Loka) 

THE FOUR REALMS OF EXISTENCE 

The Sanskrit word SWASTIKA means well-being. The SWASTIKA (Sathiya) is a symbol of wellbeing. 

The FOUR prongs of SWASTIKA show the FOUR states of existence (GATI) of the worldly 

souls: 

Human Beings (MANUSHYA) 

Heavenly Beings (DEVA) 

Animal and Plant Beings (TIRYANCH, VANASPATI) 

Hellish Beings (NÄRAKI) 

The human being is the most important of all. To become a JINA (conqueror of inner enemies) one 

has to be born as a human being. 

38

In the above mentioned FOUR states of existence we are born, we get old and we die. In order to 

end the cycle of birth and death we should follow Right Belief (Samyag Darshan), Right 

Knowledge (Samyag Jnän) and Right Conduct (Samyag Chäritra). The THREE circles above the 

SWASTIKA symbolize these three jewels of Jainism. These are the inherent qualities of the soul. 

These qualities are hidden by KARMA. We have to get rid of karma to reveal the basic qualities of 

the soul. 

The crescent moon on top of the SWASTIKA represents the ultimate resting-place of the soul 

(Siddhashilä). 

Thus, by making a SWASTIKA, we remind to ourselves, that with right knowledge, right 

perception and right conduct: I desire to end the cycle of birth and death in the four realms of 

existence and attain Siddhashilä, the permanent resting place, for my soul. 

Questions: 

What is Swastika? 

What is the difference between Manushya and Deva? 

What is Näraki? 

What is Vanaspati? 

What is the symbol of Swastika? Please also draw Swastika. 

39

LESSON 16 - JAINISM, THE COMPASSIONATE RELIGION 

How do you feel when someone hurts you? Do you like it? Of course, you don't. 

Now, think about how others feel if we hurt them. Do they feel good? Naturally, they feel bad. 

Lord Mahävir said, you should not say or do anything to others that you would not like to be said 

or that is done to you. Everybody in this world wants to be happy. No one likes to be hurt. 

The message of Lord Mahävir is that we should love everybody and should not hurt anybody. We 

should try to help others and make them happy. To understand the pain and unhappiness that others 

are experiencing is compassion. The same is true about nonviolence (Ahimsä). Compassion is one 

of the main pillars of Jain religion, and that is why Jainism is called a compassionate religion. 

Ahimsä is the most important principle of Jainism. Lord Mahävir became Arihanta by adopting 

supreme compassion in his life. His compassion reached climax during his encounter with the 

poisonous snake Chandkaushik. He was tortured by many people and animals but he forgave them 

all and had compassion towards them. 

Jainism teaches us to be compassionate to all the living beings. Jainism emphasizes observance of 

verbal and mental compassion also. We should be compassionate and friendly towards all and 

should have no animosity for any one. 

Questions: 

1) Do you like suffering? 

2) What did Lord Mahävir teach us? 

3) What is one of the main pillars of Jainism? 

4) What did Lord Mahävir do when Chandkaushik bit him? 

5) What resolution about compassion should we make today? 

40

LESSON 17- SPIRITUAL TEACHERS 

(Jain Sädhus and Sädhvis - Monks and Nuns) 

Those who teach us are called teachers. Those who teach religion are called the spiritual teachers. 

Among Jains, they are called Sädhus (monks) or Sädhvis (nuns). 

To be a Jain Sädhu or Sädhvi, people have to undergo vigorous spiritual training. During that 

training they learn about the Jain philosophy, the Jain scriptures, and the special code of conduct 

for monks and nuns. They learn to detach themselves from all their worldly ties. They learn to give 

up their families, businesses and social aspects. They must also learn to live without any money. 

Once they get used to this life of detachment, they will be allowed to become Sädhu or Sädhvi. 

They should not be and are not under any pressure to make this decision. This decision gives them 

the inner strength they need to be initiated as a true Sädhu or Sädhvi. 

Once an Ächärya decides to accept them as a Sädhu or Sädhvi, the ceremonial initiation (Dikshä) 

takes place. This is the time when they renounce their worldly life, and break their social and 

economic ties forever. They voluntarily accept following five great vows: 

I will not commit any violence. (Ahimsä) 

I will not lie. (Satya) 

I will not steal. (Asteya) 

I will not indulge in any sexual activity. (Brahmacharya) 

I will not have any possessions. (Aparigraha) 

They observe these vows in nine ways. They are: 

Physically, 

Verbally, 

Mentally. 

41

Each of these three are further divided into three more ways 

By not doing themselves above five tasks, 

By not asking anyone else to do above five tasks, 

By not encouraging any one else to do above five tasks. 

If monks and nuns get involved in social and economic matters, they defeat the whole purpose of 

their renunciation. Involvement in worldly affairs would amount to breaking their vows; since they 

are supposed to be involved in spiritual uplift. Because of their detachment and spiritual uplift, 

monks and nuns are considered one of the Pancha Parameshti (the five supreme beings)whom we 

pray in the Namokär Mantra. 

A monk or a nun no longer considers their parents as parents any more from the social aspect. They 

interact with them the same way they interact with any other householders. Similarly, they have 

renounced all other relations like that of a husband, wife, brother, sister, son, or a daughter. They 

have also given up all their belongings including money, houses, cars, jewelry, or anything else 

that belonged to them. 

They have given up all the material comforts of life, and have adopted a very simple lifestyle. 

Monks who wear only white clothes are called Shvetämbar Sädhus. Those who have given up even 

clothes are called Digambar Sädhus. The nuns in both groups always wear white clothes. 

Sädhus and Sädhvis walk bare feet and do not travel by car, train, plane or any other type of 

vehicle. They don't live in the same place for a long time. The place where they live in called 

Upäshray. Except in the rainy season they move from one town to other town in order to preach 

Jain religion. However, they do not travel before sunrise, after sunset, or when it is raining. 

For food, Sädhus and Sädhvis go to different houses for alms(Gochari) and accept very little food 

from each house. They do not accept any food which was made especially only for them. They 

accept food that was cooked for the householders’ consumption. They cannot accept any raw green 

vegetables. Shvetämbar monks keep a wooden bowls to accept food. While Digambar monks eat 

the food offered to them in their own hands. They only drink only boiled water. Except for boiled 

water, they do not consume anything between meals. They never eat or drink before sunrise or 

after sunset. Digambar monks eat and drink only once a day and accept them from only one house. 

Many monks and nuns observe austerities by fasting. 

Monks do not touch any females, and nuns do not touch any males. Those monks and nuns, who 

wear clothes, keep only two or three plain white clothes. Some monks wear a white cloth 

(Muhapatti) covering their mouth; some hold it in their hands, while others do not use a Muhapatti 

at all. Some keep Rajoharan (a small broom made of fine threads) to clean the area around them. 

Others keep a small broom made of peacock feathers. The feathers used for this broom were 

naturally shed by peacock. They do Pratikraman twice a day, once in the morning and the other in 

the evening. They perform various austerities. They also teach religious principles to 

householders. 

42

They have a great deal of discipline in observing their vows. If a householder offers a Sädhu or a 

Sädhvi something that they can not accept, they nicely explain to the householders that they cannot 

accept certain things. They are highly respected everywhere. 

People like us who are ignorant of the real truth and are involved in worldly aspects can get 

religious advice from these monks and nuns. They explain the message of Lord Mahävir. We 

should bow down to such monks and nuns to show our reverence. When we bow down, we should 

kneel so that our knees, both hands and head touch the floor, and then we should say "Matthaena 

Vandämi" which means, "I am bowing down my head." While bowing down, males should not 

touch the nuns, and females should not touch the monks. We should try to follow the example set 

by Sädhus and Sädhvis. 

In conclusion, while renouncing their worldly aspects, there are three conditions they must fulfill to 

become a monk or nun. They are: 

Voluntary renunciation of all worldly possessions, and all social, and economic ties. 

Voluntarily taking and observing the five great vows. 

Wearing only white clothes or not wearing any clothes at all. ( All nuns wear white clothes). 

Questions: 

Who are our spiritual teachers? 

To become a monk or a nun what do you have to do? 

When they renounce their worldly lives, what do they give up? 

Name the five vows they take? 

Are monks and nuns spiritual leaders or are they social workers? 

What kind of water do they drink? 

How do they get their food? 

Do they accept raw green vegetables? 

Do monks and nuns touch people of opposite sex? 

43

LESSON 18 - PRACTICING NON-VIOLENCE AND COMPASSION 

“Non-violence is compassionate behavior towards all living beings” 

-Dashvaikalik Sutra(6/9) 

Remember the practice of non-violence begins first with us. 

We must refrain from any activity of mind, speech and body that can harm us in any way. We 

should also make sure that we do not harm anyone else. We should not stop at physical nonviolence 

alone. We must make sure that our thoughts as well as our speech are also non-violent. 

Abusing others is a verbal violence. 

We must 

- never use harsh and insulting words towards anyone. 

- not engage in gossip or in spreading rumors. 

- always look for something good in others and compliment them. 

- cooperate rather than compete with others. 

- refrain (your mind) from anger and jealousy. 

- respect the nature around us and protect our environment. 

- always avoid waste. Only take what we need. 

Questions: 

1) What is non-violence? 

2) How should we practice non-violence? 

3) What do we mean by verbal non-violence? 

44

LESSON 19 - GOING TO PÄTHSHÄLÄ 

Ami: 

Sheela: 

Ami: 

Sheela: 

Ami: 

Sheela: 

Ami: 

Sheela: 

Ami: 

Sheela: 

Ami: 

Sheela: 

Sheela, most of the other Jain centers have religious classes once a month, but 

your center has religious classes twice a month and you never miss it. Do you 

really like learning about religion? Or do you just go for the fun and food? 

I don't care about the food, however, I really do enjoy our Päthshälä. 

What is Päthshälä? What's so great about it? 

Everything. I get to learn how to be a better person and be truly happy. Also I 

make many new friends there. 

What do they teach you in Päthshälä? 

Quite a lot! They teach us morals and values like compassion, respect, 

forgiveness, honesty etc. They tell us many stories. We sometimes get to see a 

video or even play a game. 

You don't have to ruin your whole weekend for that! You can always watch 

video and play games at home. They always talk about this moral stuff in school; 

it’s so boring. 

In school there is not much importance given to this. In fact if you talk about 

morals, other students make fun of you. Jain Päthshälä gives me safe environment 

to be able to practice and experiment with the morals and values. 

I think you are right. They must be teaching you good things there. Because the 

other day when Manisha blamed you for something you did not do, you didn't get 

mad at her. You didn't even tell your mom about it. When I told Manisha's mom 

about that, she got mad at Manisha but she was really proud of you. I bet you 

learned how to control your temper in Jain Päthshälä! 

Yes, that’s right. You know, these days I don’t get much annoyed with my little 

sister any more. Our Jain teachers are so wonderful, they show us how to put 

things in right perspective. You should come there and see for yourself. 

I shall go home and ask my mom right now. Oh, wait a minute! I forgot to ask 

you if there are any rules that I should know? 

There are some rules that we must follow. Many of them are the same rules we 

follow in school. But some others rules are used only in Jain Päthshälä. 

The general rules are: 

Go to every Päthshälä class. 

Be at the Päthshälä on time. 

Wear clean and simple clothes. 

Take your books to class. 

Do not chew gum or eat candy in class. 

Take off your shoes before entering the center (Jain Päthshälä). 

Say "Jai-Jinendra" to the teachers and to other students. 

Be nice to everyone in the class. 

No fights and shouting. 

45

Be polite to everybody and do not use bad language. 

Do not show off in class. 

Pay attention during class. 

Keep your books in their proper place and do not throw them around. 

Do not wear any leather products. 

Do not wear silk material. 

Participate in the discussion. 

If the teachers give you homework, finish it before the next class. 

Tell your friends to come to the Päthshälä. 

Ami: 

Sheela: 

Ami: 

I can follow these rules easily. I'll see you at the next Päthshälä class. 

I'll be glad to see you there. "Jai Jinendra." 

"Jai Jinendra." 

Questions: 

1) How often are the Päthshälä classes at your Jain center? 

2) Do you go to the Päthshälä? 

3) Can you write about what you learned at your last class? 

4) Why should you tell your friends to come to the classes? 

5) What are some things you can do at the Päthshälä? 

6) What are some things you cannot do in class? 

46

LESSON 20- BE GENTLE AND HELPFUL 

I will be kind and gentle to all animals, birds, and bugs, etc. 

I will avoid walking on grass. 

I will look at plants and flowers, but will not pick them. 

I will try not to step on any bugs, while walking. 

I will play with other children. I will not fight with them, and I will not hit anybody. 

I will be nice to my brothers and sisters, and I will respect them. 

I will help my grandparents and other elders. 

I will help my parents. 

I will put my toys and games back in place, when I have finished playing. 

Circle true or false. 

I will hurt animals, birds and bugs. 

I will walk on grass. 

I will put my things in place. 

I will not help my grandfather. 

I will not fight with others. 

True or False 

True or False 

True or False 

True or False 

True or False 

47

LESSON 21 - TRUE MONKS 

Once upon a time, there lived a king. One day, he decided to offer gold coins to monks. He called 

one of his ministers and gave him a bag of gold coins. The king told him to give the coins to all the 

monks in the town. 

The minister looked for monks all day, but he could not find even a single monk to give the coins 

to. He gave the bag of coins back to the king. The minister very politely told the king that he could 

not find a monk to give the coins to. The king became very angry and said, "What is this nonsense! 

You could not find a single monk, in such a big city." The minister admired the king for his good 

intention, and said that real monks did not accept the gold coins. The others, who did want to 

accept the coins, were not true monks, because true monks do not take money. He added that the 

king would not want to give gold coins to greedy people, who wore the clothes of monks but did 

not observe the religious principles. After listening to the explanation of the minister, the king 

calmed down and started thinking. He realized that his minister was right, and gave him one 

hundred gold coins as a reward. 

True monks don't have or keep any wealth. Jain monks and nuns don't keep or ask for money for 

any reason. They don't ask anyone to collect and keep money for them either. They have given up 

all the worries about their needs. They may encourage you to give to charities out of compassion, 

but they don't get involved in its management. 

Questions: 

1) What did the king intend to do with the gold coins? 

2) Why did the king get angry? 

3) What did the minister say about the monks? 

4) Do Jain monks and nuns ask for money? 

48

LESSON 22 - LORD MAHÄVIR 

Lord Mahävir is the twenty-fourth Tirthankar. He was born in 599 B.C. at Kshatriyakund, 

(Vaishäli, according to some). His father's name was King Siddhärtha and his mother's name was 

Queen Trishalä. They were very religious people and were followers of Lord Pärshvanäth. Queen 

Trishalä had fourteen dreams (Digambars believe sixteen dreams) when she conceived Lord 

Mahävir. While she was pregnant, King Siddhärtha and his kingdom prospered significantly. The 

parents attributed their prosperity to the baby to be born. So when the baby was born, he was 

named Vardhamän, which means continuously increasing prosperity. 

He was very bold and while playing he once saved his friends from a snake. Another time, a 

vicious angel joined them in the disguise of a young boy. According to the rules of the game, 

Vardhamän had a chance to ride on the boys back. While he was riding, the boy turned into a 

monster in order to scare him. Vardhamän, however, overpowered the monster. The vicious angel 

then appeared in his true form. He praised Vardhamän for his boldness and called him "Mahävir" 

meaning very brave. 

49

Though Mahävir was born with worldly comforts and luxuries, he was never attracted to them. He 

lived a simple life. So when his parents died, he decided to become a monk. He asked for 

permission from his elder brother, Nandivardhan. His brother was still mourning the loss of their 

parents. He therefore requested Mahävir to wait for a couple of years before becoming a monk. 

Mahävir waited for two years, during which he led a totally detached life. After realizing this, his 

brother gave him permission to become a monk. 

Mahävir was thirty years old when he renounced his worldly life and all worldly activities. He 

spent most of his time in austerity (simplicity) and in meditation. He suffered a great deal of 

physical pain and torture from various sources. Among them, the most severe was the biting by the 

highly poisonous snake Chandkaushik. Lord Mahävir remained calm and peaceful in the midst of 

all these torturous events. He never lost his serenity and never developed hatred for anyone. He 

forgave all of them. He led such a highly austere life for twelve and a half years. At the age of 

forty-two he attained omniscience(Kevaljnän). He became Jina, the twenty-forth Tirthankar of the 

present era. As omniscient he knew everything of the past, present and future. 

As the last Tirthankar, he revived the religious order (Tirth) consisting of monks, nuns, Shrävaks 

and Shrävikäs. This order is known as the Jain Sangh. Lord Mahävir had eleven Ganadhars 

(immediate disciples). His first disciple was Gautam-swämi. He was a well-known Brahmin 

scholar. These Ganadhars compiled twelve sacred books based on the preaching of Lord Mahävir. 

These books are called Anga Ägams. Later on other Ächäryas compiled additional books which 

are known as Anga Bähya Ägams. Collectively both Anga Ägams and Anga Bähya Ägams are 

called Ägams or Ägam Sutras. These Ägam Sutras are the scriptures of Jain religion. These books 

were passed on verbally from preceptor to pupil for a long time. They were put into writing about 

980 years after Lord Mahävir’s Nirvän (death). 

The ascetic followers (monks and nuns) of Lord Mahävir followed five great vows. The five vows 

are: 

Non-violence (Ahimsä) 

Truth (Satya) 

Non-stealing (Asteya) 

Celibacy (Brahmacharya) 

Non-possession (Aparigraha). 

During Lord Mahävir’s time, people in the name of religion conducted violent sacrificial rituals. 

The teachings of Lord Mahävir opened their eyes and they also adopted the principle of nonviolence. 

His sermons encouraged people to build a happy and harmonious society. 

50

After providing guidance to the people for thirty years, Lord Mahävir attained Nirvana in 527 

B.C., at the age of seventy-two. Nirvana means that he attained liberation (Moksha) and became a 

Siddha who no longer has to undergo the cycle of birth and death. 

Questions: 

Who was Lord Mahävir? 

What were his parent’s names? 

How old was he when he became a monk? 

For how many years did he perform austerity and meditation? 

How old was he when he became a Tirthankar? 

What are the four different parts of the Jain Sangh? 

How old was Lord Mahävir when he attained Nirvana? 

How many years ago did Lord Mahävir attain Nirvana? 

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LESSON 23 - SAGE KAPIL 

In a town called Kaushambi there lived a royal priest named Kashyap Shästri. He had a son named 

Kapil. Kapil grew up in luxury and did not go to school and did not study any religious books. 

Consequently, when his father died, the priesthood was passed on to another Brahmin. Kapil's 

mother was sad to see this happen.. She thought, "If only my son would have studied, he would 

have become the royal priest." Tears rolled down from her eyes. When Kapil saw that, he asked, 

"Mother, why are you crying? What is wrong?" 

The mother sighed and said, "My son, I regret that you did not become the royal priest. If you 

would have studied well, you would have succeeded your father's position." These words deeply 

touched Kapil. He made up his mind to get good education. He went to a friend of his father in the 

city of Shrävasti. His name was Indradatt Upädhyäy. 

Indradatt was known all over the country as a highly learned man and many students came to him 

to study. He was glad that Kapil wanted to study and he started teaching him. According to the 

prevailing practice of that time Kapil had to get his food by going from door to door and asking for 

alms. That took too much of his time and affected his studying. Indradatt therefore requested a 

wealthy man of the town to make some arrangement for his daily meals. The man arranged for 

Kapil's daily meals at the place of a young Brahmin widow, named Manorama. 

Kapil now started taking his meals at Manorama's place. Now he could devote enough time for his 

education. But the relationship of the two slowly grew into intimacy. After a while Manorama 

became pregnant. She started worrying about how to meet the expenses of delivery and baby. 

Kapil knew that the king gave two gold coins to the person who first blessed him every morning. 

He decided to go to the palace early in the morning to get the gold coin. The next day Kapil went to 

the palace in the morning, but some other Brahmin had already reached the palace before him. The 

next day too Kapil was late. He tried for eight days, but every time he was late. 

Kapil was very unhappy that he was late to reach the palace everyday. So he decided to sleep in the 

garden so that he could be the first at the palace. Soon he noticed the moon in the horizon. He 

mistakenly took it as sunrise and started running towards the palace. A policeman, who was 

patrolling the street, saw Kapil running towards the palace. He suspected him to be a thief and 

arrested him. Kapil tried to explain his position to the policeman but he simply said, "You may tell 

your story to His Majesty in the morning.” 

In the morning Kapil was brought to the royal court. He was trembling, because he had never been 

in the court before. The king noticed the fear in his face and thought he cannot be a thief. The king 

asked him, "Who are you? What were you doing at midnight? 

52

Kapil humbly replied, "Your Majesty, I am a Brahmin and I was running to get to the palace to 

confer blessings upon you." 

The king asked, "why so early?" 

Kapil said, "Your Majesty, I have been trying to confer my blessings upon you for the last eight 

days to earn two gold coins, and I have always been late. So last night, I got up very early in order 

to be the first one. But that did not work and here I am before you as a thief." 

The king said, "You have suffered so much for just two gold coins. Oh Brahmin, I am pleased with 

your honesty and permit you to ask for anything that you want and I shall grant it." 

Kapil requested some time to think. The king gave some time to think. He left to go to the garden 

to think. 

Now Kapil started thinking, "I should ask for ten golden coins instead of two. But how long will 

that last? I should ask for fifty coins. But that won't be enough for later expenses." He continued 

to think of more and more amount until he reached to ten million coins. He thought even that 

would not be enough for maintaining prosperity for his whole life. He then thought of asking for 

half of the kingdom and ultimately the entire kingdom. 

Suddenly he thought, "The king has been kind enough to give me whatever I want. Why should I 

make him miserable? That is not fair. If I ask for half of the kingdom, I will be his rival. Why 

should I annoy the person who wants to help me? Should I then ask for ten million golden coins? 

What is the use of that much money? Too much money brings troubles. I will ask for ten thousand 

coins." But his conscience did not permit him to even ask for ten thousand. "Shall I ask for one 

thousand coins? A hundred? A fifty? A twenty-five?" He decided not to ask for anything more 

than what he had gone for which was only two gold coins. 

53

But Kapil still kept on thinking, "It is the desire that makes one unhappy. It also leads to 

greediness, which is the root cause of all sins. In order to get rid of it, I should ask for nothing. 

Look, where my desire had led me! Forgetting that I came here to become a learned man, I have 

been drawn into a situation of losing morality and becoming a beggar." Let me stay content. I will 

not ask for nothing." 

Kapil went back to the palace. The king asked, "Oh Brahmin, what have you decided?" 

Kapil replied, "Your Majesty, I do not want anything from you." 

"What?" the king asked. 

Kapil replied, "Your Majesty, desire is the root cause of all evils. The more one gets, the more 

greedy one becomes." 

The king said, "Revered Brahmin, I am not sure if I understand what you mean." 

Kapil said, "Oh King, now I do not need anything. Contentment is the supreme wealth and I am 

happy with that." 

With these words Kapil left with the sense of complete detachment and he renounced worldly life 

to become a monk by accepting Dikshä. 

Questions: 

1) Who was Kapil? 

2) What happened to him while he was studying? 

3) Why did policeman arrest him? 

4) What did he tell the King? 

5) Why did Kapil not ask for anything? 

54

6) What is the supreme wealth? 

LESSON 24 - TRUE LEARNING 

A long time ago, there was a dormitory of Maharshi Satyik at the foot of a hill. A few students 

lived there. Dormitory consisted of many small huts. The students studied about general interest 

topics and religious scriptures. They gave importance to moral values. They lived only on milk 

and whatever they grew in the farm. They were not dependent on anyone for their food. 

One day, King Vikram, his queen and some servants were passing by this area. They stopped at the 

riverbank near the dormitory to have lunch. After a while, some students passed by. The king saw 

them and offered them food. The students said with respect, "We can not take anything." The king 

was very pleased with them for not showing any temptation. 

After sometime, the king, queen, and everybody left for the city. After a while, some students were 

passing through there again. They noticed a shiny gold necklace. They brought it to their teacher 

and asked him, "What should they do with the necklace? " The teacher calmly said, "Hang it on 

the nail outside. Whoever it belongs to can take it from there." They put the necklace on the nail 

and everybody went back to their work. 

Meanwhile, on the way back home, the queen noticed that her necklace was missing. She was 

scared that she may have lost it while they were resting at the river. She told this to the king and the 

king went back to the river to look for it. He also got worried because he could not find the 

precious necklace. He went to the dormitory to ask the students if they had found it. 

The teacher greeted the king with kind words. 

55

The king asked him, "Has any of your students seen the queen's gold necklace?" 

The teacher said, "If we find anything that does not belong to us, then we put it on the nail outside. 

So go and look over there." 

The king went to the nail and found the necklace hanging there. 

He started thinking to himself, "These people do not have much money and yet they live like as if 

they have everything." He realized that these people were living a simple and peaceful life, while 

he had everything but no peace in his life. He was living a life of temptations, while these people 

were content with what they had. 

Questions: 

1) What were the students learning at dormitory? 

2) What did the students do when the king offered them food? 

3) Why didn't the students hide the necklace? 

4) What did King think about his life compared to the life of the students? 

56

LESSON 25 - PARYUSHAN - A FESTIVAL OF FORGIVENESS 

Paryushan/Das Lakshana Parva is one of the most important festivals of Jains, which falls in the 

month of August or September. At the end of Paryushan we do Pratikraman; asking for forgiveness 

for all the sins we have committed during the entire year. 

As people, we tend to ignore our own faults and magnify the faults of others. We usually know 

when we make mistake, but our pride makes it difficult to admit them. Asking for forgiveness 

makes us humble. It is a lesson in humbleness. It also teaches us to be more aware so that our 

words or our actions do not cause harm to anyone. 

We must also learn to forgive others truly. Many times people around us knowingly or 

unknowingly disappoint us. This causes us to be angry. Forgiveness is the best way to get rid of 

this anger within us. Forgiveness not only makes us pure again, it energizes us and makes our 

world more beautiful than ever. 

Let us learn the Jain Kshamäpanä Sutra 

Khämemi Savva Jive, 

Savve Jiv Khamantu Me, 

Mitti Me Savva Bhuesu, 

Veram Majjham Na Kenai. 

Meanings of these sentences 

I Grant Forgiveness To All Living Beings, 

And All Living Beings Grant Me Forgiveness, 

My Friendship Is With All Living Beings, 

My Enmity Is Totally Non-Existent. 

Questions 

What is Jain festival of forgiveness called? 

1) Which Kashäya is eliminated by asking for forgiveness? 

Forgiving others gets rid of this Kashäya. 

Can you recite Kshamäpanä Sutra? 

What do Jains do at the end of the festival of forgiveness? 

57

LESSON 26 - ARIHANTA 

Rita: 

Teacher: 

Rita: 

Teacher: 

Rita: 

Teacher: 

Rita: 

Teacher: 

Rita: 

Teacher: 

Rita: 

Teacher: 

Sir, many of my friends in school, talk about God. Jesus is their God, Lord 

Krishna is another God. Can you tell me something about our God? 

Many religions say, "God created the world. He maintains it. He controls 

it. He is very kind. He forgives us for our sins. He knows everything. He 

makes us happy. " 

Does Jainism say the same thing about God? 

No. Jains have a different concept of God. It is not God, but the godhood 

that can be attained by every soul. He/she, who attains the godhood, is 

supreme. He is free from the four Ghäti Karmas meaning that he possesses 

infinite knowledge, perception, power, and conduct. We call these great 

souls Arihantas. There have been many Arihantas. In each time cycle, 

there are twenty-four of them who re-establish the religious order to help 

us end the cycles of birth and death. The religious order consist of the Jain- 

Tirth which consists of Sädhus, Sädhvis, laymen (Shrävak) and laywomen 

(Shrävikä) and that is why they are also called Tirthankars. The Jains 

worship them and consider them Gods of Jainism. 

Did they create universe? 

No, the world is a natural phenomenon. It is eternal which means that it 

was here from the beginning of time and will be here forever. 

Sir, what are the different names for Tirthankar? Who were they before 

they became Tirthankar? 

In Jainism Tirthankars are also known as Jinas, Vitaräg, or Arihantas. 

They lead us to the spiritual path and ultimately to liberation. Before 

renouncing their worldly life, some of them were kings or princes, while 

others were ordinary people. 

In Jainism we believe that every human as well as any other living being 

has the potential to become perfect and omnipotent. But not all living 

beings may have this potential capability in this life. 

Can we say then, that Lord Mahävir is a "Jain God"? 

Yes, Lord Mahävir is a "Jain God". There were twenty-three such "Gods" 

before Him in this time cycle. However, they are really not called "Gods" 

in the sense of being the creator of the world. We call them Tirthankars or 

Arihantas. 

Oh! Now I can tell my friends that Arihantas or Tirthankars are our Gods. 

Will you tell us more about Lord Arihantas? 

Sure. You know that every name has a meaning. Kumud means "lotus", 

and Ravi means "sun." Similarly the word Arihanta is made up of two 

words. They are "Ari" and "Hant." Ari means "enemy" and Hant means 

"destroyer". So Arihanta literally means "destroyer of enemies." 

58

Payal: 

Teacher: 

Amar: 

Teacher: 

But, sir, the other day you said that Jains do not hurt anyone. Then how 

can our Lord Arihanta be a destroyer? I do not understand that. 

Payal, you are right. As Jains, we are not supposed to hurt or destroy 

anyone. An Arihanta’s enemies were not animals or people like you and I. 

Arihantas did not have enemies outside but they were all within 

themselves. 

The enemies within themselves!!! 

Some times you get mad at friends, brothers, or sisters for very small 

matters. Sometimes we hide our toys when our friends come to our house. 

Sometimes you cry at the mall when your parents don't let you buy toys. 

Some kids show off in their class and act as if they know everything. 

These all may look good to us, and we may consider ourselves smart, but 

this kind of behavior sooner or later will get us in trouble. 

This kind of behavior is a result of our passions. Passions (anger, ego, 

deceit and greed) are not good. Since they stay within us, they are called 

our inner enemies 

Sheela: 

Teacher: 

Sunil: 

Teacher: 

Hina: 

Teacher: 

Sheela, Does this make sense to you? Can our passions be our enemies? 

Yes Sir, now it makes sense. I remember the other day when I got mad at 

my best friend she stopped talking to me. A few days later, when I really 

needed her help to study for a test, she did not help me and I got a grade 

"B" on the test. Now I realize how getting mad caused put me in trouble. 

Sunil, have you experienced this kind of trouble? 

Yes sir. One day my sister and I were alone at home. My sister was hungry 

and wanted to order pizza. She did not have enough money, and I would 

not share any of my money with her. So she had to remain hungry. A few 

weeks later, our parents dropped us off at the mall for shopping. While we 

were at a clothing store, I noticed a nice jacket that I wanted to buy. I 

checked the price, and I saw that I did not have enough money. I asked 

my sister, if she would let me borrow some money. She said "No' and 

reminded me about when she wanted to order pizza. I told myself, if I 

would have shared money and not been so mean, she would have given me 

money to buy that jacket. Later she said, "Don't feel bad. I am not going 

to be like you, but remember that it is good to share." Now I know that 

sharing is a very good idea. 

Does anyone else want to say anything? 

Yes sir, now I realize what our inner enemies are. We should control our 

anger. We should not be greedy. We should not insult anyone. We should 

not deceive anyone. In other words, we should control our passions. 

Yes, we should have total control on our desires, so that no matter what 

happens, we don't get mad, greedy, or arrogant. 

Arihantas did not destroy people, animals, birds or bugs, but they 

59

Ashish: 

Teacher: 

Ashish: 

Teacher 

destroyed their inner enemies like anger, greed, ego, and deception 

(AGED). 

Now I know who the Arihantas are. They destroyed their inner enemies, 

but I still do not understand why we call them Gods? 

Now, we are coming to the rest of the story. Once a person becomes an 

Arihanta, he/she knows everything and can perceive everything in the 

universe. He knows what is happening now, what will happen in the 

future and what has happened in the past at the same time. There is 

nothing that he does not know. He teaches us that we should be free from 

our inner enemies. When we die, we are reborn as something else. When 

Lord Arihanta dies, he/she becomes Lord Siddha and is never born again. 

He is liberated from the cycle of birth and death forever. That is why Lord 

Arihantas are called Gods. 

I still have one question. When we go to the temple our parents tell us to 

pray to the Gods. What are we supposed to pray to them? 

When we pray, our prayers admire the Tirthankars or Jinas for being free 

from their inner enemies. Our prayers should not wish for rewards, but 

should remind us how to live a good Jain life. We also pray to them for 

being our role models. We must try to follow their teachings in order to 

achieve the supreme goal of liberation. 

Questions: 

1) Do Jains believe in God? 

2) What do other religions say about their Gods? 

3) Do Jains believe God is the creator of the universe? 

4) What are the different names for Jain Gods? 

5) What does Arihanta mean? 

6) What are our inner enemies? 

7) Can anyone be an Arihanta? 

8) Who is a Lord Siddha? 

60

LESSON 27 - RESPECT 

Sheela: 

Teacher: 

Sir, I read in a book "Respect (Vinay) is complimentary to knowledge". Can you 

please explain that to me? 

That is a very good question. It is important for everybody to learn to respect others. 

You cannot retain knowledge, if you do not respect your parents, teachers, and 

religious books, etc. 

Respect is expressed in several different ways. For example, worshipping the 

Tirthankars, bowing down to monks and elders, taking good care of your books, 

paying attention in class, listening to your parents, being polite to everybody, and 

having good manners. 

Respect destroys the ego, brings forth good thinking, results in the use of polite 

language, and showing kindness towards other living beings. All these factors help in 

elevating the soul. 

Ravi: 

Teacher: 

Ravi: 

Teacher: 

Ravi: 

Teacher: 

Sir, can you tell us how to show respect to elders? 

Anybody who is older than you is an elder than you. Parents, teachers, uncles, and 

aunts are your elders. You should greet them with "Jai Jinendra." whenever you see 

them. You should offer them a seat when they visit you. It is always polite to offer 

them a glass of water or juice. Listen carefully to your elders without interruption and 

answer politely. 

Sir, are there any other types of elders? 

Yes, those people who have more knowledge are also called elders. They may be our 

teachers. Those who teach and practice ethical values are also our elders. All the 

monks and nuns are our elders. They may not be very old in age, but they are at a 

higher spiritual level. So we should respect them. 

Can you tell us more about how to show respect towards elders? 

When elders leave, 

Walk them to the door. 

Do not laugh or giggle at them. 

Do not interrupt them when they are talking. 

Do not make fun of them. 

Never say bad things about elders. 

You know, people everywhere praise respectful children. And when they become 

elders, they also receive respect from other elders. 

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Questions: 

1) What does Vinay mean? 

2) What happens when we respect to elders? 

3) What are some different ways we show respect? 

4) Who should we show our respect to? 

5) How should we greet friends, teachers and elders? 

6) Can you give few examples of showing disrespect? 

62

Lesson 28 - MONKEY AND SUGARI 

Sugari's (bird) is known for its 

very well woven and artistic 

nest. It provides protection 

from wind and rain. On one 

rainy day, a Sugari was sitting 

in her nest and it was raining 

heavily and thundering with 

frequent flashes of lightening. 

At this time, a monkey troubled 

by the cold wind and rain took 

shelter under the tree. The 

Sugari sarcastically asked, 

"You are so clever then why 

didn't you build a nest to live in 

on the rainy day?” The monkey 

got angry and told the Sugari to 

shut up. He kept on shivering. 

Sugari could not resist teasing 

him, she said, "Why did you 

waste the summer time in 

laziness?" 

Upon hearing this, the monkey 

was enraged and verbally 

abused Sugari. Rain and 

thunder got worse and Sugari 

once again started to tease 

monkey. The monkey was so 

mad by now that he said, "Keep 

quiet, you bad mouth. If you 

keep on passing these stupid 

remarks, I will shatter your nest 

and make you homeless. The Sugari kept quiet. But the shivering monkey started to shiver even 

more due to rain and cold strong wind, and the Sugari once again could not resist advising monkey 

with her words of arrogant wisdom. At last, the monkey could not control his anger any longer. 

He said, "Although I have no ability to make a house, I do possess the ability to break one.” He 

climbed up the tree and destroyed the Sugari’s nest, making poor Sugari also homeless. Now both 

of them suffered from cold wind and rain. 

Key Message: 

63

Such occasions are very common. We should not point out the faults of others. We should remain 

indifferent to them. Everyone is responsible for what he or she does. We should try to learn from 

other people's good and bad experiences. We should improve ourselves and get rid of our faults 

first. This is one of the many messages of Lord Mahävir. 

LESSON 29 - THE STORY OF SILK 

Many of us use silk material and silk products because they look very nice and you get 

compliments from others. But while enjoying the different kinds of silk we may not realize or we 

may be ignoring what goes on behind the scene to obtain this material. We Jains, the believers of 

Ahimsä, should be very careful and should learn how silk is obtained. 

The purpose of this chapter is to show us whether this luxury is really worth it. It will show us what 

we are putting the silk worms or silk moths through. What is done in the past is done but we can 

control the future. 

To obtain silk, silkworms are raised. These worms are kept in totally clean trays. 

These silkworms have appetites like pigs. They eat all the time. They are fed fresh mulberry leaves 

and these tiny worms grow into fat worms about 3” long and 1” thick. 

These worms look very adorable. 

When they stop growing, they secrete a gum-like fluid which hardens and forms a fine thread. 

After spinning for about 3 days a cocoon formation is completed around the worm. Now the 

worms change into a pupa, which lives inside the cocoon and matures till a mature moth can 

emerge out of the cocoon. 

64

If the pupas are allowed to have their natural life they would grow to be a silk moth in about 3 

weeks inside the cocoon. However, they are not allowed to reach this stage. Do you know why? 

When the worms break the cocoon these silk threads are broken into small fragments and these 

fragmented threads cannot be used to make silk yarns. 

Instead, these cocoons are put in the boiling water (ouch!) for a period of time till the pupa dies and 

continuous thread of silk is obtained. Poor pupas! They have to die so we can wear silk. 

To produce 100 grams of elegant silk yarn you have to kill about 1,500 pupas. So you can calculate 

how many pupas would have to be killed to obtain different silk products for our pleasure. Maybe 

1,000; 2,000; 5,000; 10,000; or more. 

We as Jains, believers of Ahimsä, have many more choices of what to wear. The choice is ours 

whether we care or not about the pupas that have to be killed to make the silk. We have a choice, 

the pupas do not! 

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Jai Jinendra - Jainism, Jain Religion - colleges

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