Jains' fast: Penance a means to rise above the mundane

[rug]

September 28, 2011 By S. Sujatha

Indians have been fasting since the Vedic ages. While fasting has religious overtones in our country, it has also been used as a potent weapon since the time of Mahatma Gandhi.

Social activist Mr Anna Hazare’s recent 13-day fast in New Delhi assured that the government would include three of his main demands as integral parts of the proposed Lokpal bill while Gujarat Chief Minister Mr Narendra Modi’s Sadbhavana fast was for peace, unity and harmony.

There is one community, however, the Jains, who fast to gain self-control. For Jain monks and nuns, fasting is purely spiritual and is undertaken for self-purification and uplifting one’s soul.

Lay-people of the community also frequently fast to gain control over personal behaviours apart from mental strength.


Followers of Jainism take blessings from the Jain nuns, who are staying in the city to observe the chaturmasya period

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/chennai/jains-fast-penance-means-rise-above-mundane-923

[snagglepuss]

1. The article prompted me to find out more about Jainism, its utter simplicity

makes it very interesting.


snip


Jainism rejects the belief in a creator God. Jains believe that the universe in eternal, that it has always existed, must continually change, and in that change structure arises on its own. Jains believe that the universe is made of two types of reality: there is spirit (jiva) which senses and feels, there is also matter (ajiva), which is not alive and has no consciousness. Jains believe that there is life and consciousness in everything, and thus believe that everything is capable of suffering and consciousness including inanimate objects, single-celled life forms, insects, animals, and humans. Because of this Jains are extremist believers in non-violence and austerity.

To Jains, humans are composed of a material side and a spiritual side and believe that people have the ability to understand their dual nature and must strive to overcome

their limitations. As a result, people can free themselves from the cycle of rebirth. Liberated spirits live on a higher realm where Mahavira and other tirthankaras exist.

[rug]

2. i don't know that much about it myself.

It seems to have many elements in common with Buddhism.